When I was asked to write a column for Sancho Panza, there was some hesitation on my part. Mostly because I didn’t feel very connected to the new cultural movement that was taking place in the city in which I was born and raised. Nevertheless Panza founder Jolien Schiphorst assured me that such a disconnection shouldn’t pose a problem to the point of view or content that I would bring to my columns. She even went as far as to say that my outsider perspective would cast some new light on The Hague’s rather closed-to-public art scene and its “ons-kent-ons” participants. After thinking it over I rather liked the position of anonymous outsider sharing his (yes, I can assure you I’m male) thoughts about a scene I’m actually rather weary of. This weariness is due to my conflicted love-hate relationship with culture and art.
I should explain that in the last couple of years I have submerged myself in the “science” behind various forms of artistic expression. This has both enriched my understanding of the art but also sadly handicapped my appreciation of art and culture, simply because the shocking amount of subtle pretension became suddenly visible. As a result I have become more and more apprehensive of the artistic scene and its participants. Which has turned me into a rather sceptical and dare I say bitter admirer of the arts.
Now as much fun as it is to read somebody anonymously bitch and moan about various subjects, I feel the internet has enough of this already. So I propose a different tactic for this weekly (?) column in which I will try to give a completely non-beneficial and unbiased opinion of the various cultural hotspots and events The Hague has to offer, which I must admit I haven’t thus far given a fair chance, mostly because of the rather full of themselves self appointed members of this scene, but I digress.
-Bob Dutch
Loves art, hates its pretension
