Valeriusstraat 176

Lily van der Stokker, Roofterrace with Hot Tub, 2021, photo: Lily van der Stokker.

Welcome Stranger asked four artists to create a work of art on the facade of their own house. 'Dakterras met Bubbelbad' (Roofterrace with Hot Tub) is an artwork made by Lily van der Stokker. 

There is no better way to interpret Lily van der Stokker's thoughts and ideas about the work she made for Welcome Stranger, than to let her speak for herself. Van der Stokker has been working for some time on an archive in which she interprets all her work herself. Below we give you the full text she wrote about her work 'Roof terrace with whirlpool'.

Houses can talk too

Saying what you think, showing it honestly and openly, and as big as possible. Big, because it can compete with other text works on buildings that we all know through commerce. 

And it is funny, because it’s confusing: are we seeing advertising here or is something else going on?
"Dakterras met Bubbelbad" (Roofterrace with Hot Tub) is a work of art. It is a work of one person and one house. It is an ephemeral expression of concrete poetry. Political, funny and cheeky. Houses can talk too.

I have lived in Valeriusstraat for 33 years in a large old upstairs flat. I have a beautiful view of the Valeriusplein, and at the back a spacious courtyard garden. In the 1980s I had a simple roof terrace, left over from the previous tenants. But I never made much of it. I couldn't and shouldn't, because I live in a rented house. On the other side of the street I saw modest roof terraces with dilapidated fences and mainly greenery. Then I saw the opposite neighbor working on an even bigger balcony, an even bigger roof terrace. I saw houses getting new owners who then extended existing roof terraces. Amsterdammers adding square metres to their houses by digging out basements and widening balconies. Who have a double roof terrace built with spiral staircase whirlpool, palm tree and shower, and with a TL beam across the entire width of the house to illuminate the new addition.

Earlier text artworks of mine were recently on display on the windows of the Stedelijk Museum, two very large stickers reading "Help me help me, Help I am in the museum" (2018). From longer ago is the consolation light artwork: "Kalm nou maar alles komt goed" (Calm down, everything will be all right) in the garden of the Museum Boymans (2008). And the cheerfully coloured feminist mural "Tidy Kitchen" at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles (2015). And as early as 1989, I make the little painting "Hoi" say hello to the viewer.

The context of this artwork is the centre of Amsterdam. It is the art of a neighbor. An observation of the actions of people around us. Of the construction frenzy in the neighbourhood. And I indirectly participate in it, because I too like to live as spaciously as possible. 

Lily van der Stokker, 2021

Lily van der Stokker (1954, Den Bosch, NL) has been internationally known since the 1990s for her optimist drawings and murals in bright colours. Her cheerful drawings are made in her own palette of fluorescend colours. She often draws motifs such as flowers, curls and clouds. Van der Stokker combines these shapes with words or sentences that are very recognisable. Because of this combination of sweetly coloured shapes and short pieces of text, her works of art seem easy and accessible. But that is only an illusion. In her own words, she makes 'difficult art that looks easy'.

Welcome Stranger asked four artists to make a work of art on the façade of their own home. More about the other works of art you find here: 

Esther Tielemans, Maarten Harpertszoon Trompstraat 
Radna Rumping, Hoofdweg 
Kévin Bray, Woutertje Pietersestraat 

Read more about the serie, its origine and the artworks HERE, and HERE 

Production artwork: Anything is Possible