Occupied City at the Rijksmuseum

Amsterdam on Screen

The Museumplein façade has been transformed into a huge cinema screen for 137 days. The film Occupied City (Still), which captures everyday life in Amsterdam, will be shown continuously on the south façade of the museum without sound. Inside the museum's auditorium, the film will be shown on special screening days with sound and a voice-over that reveals the human stories and tragedies. At first glance this may not be visible, but the film’s core is the occupation of Amsterdam during the Second World War (1940–1945). The film takes us past over 2,000 locations where traces of this history survive beneath the surface, ranging from well-known sites to remote corners of the city.

Steve McQueen

The artist and director Steve McQueen was born in London in 1969. Retrospectives of his work have been held at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Laurenz Foundation, Schaulager, in Basel (2012–2013), the Tate Modern in London (2020), and the Pirelli HangarBicocca in Milan (2022).

The City as a Work of Art

The film on the Museumplein façade is not a conventional screening, but rather a contemporary cityscape of still images portraying Amsterdam in an innovative way. With a 34-hour runtime, it is unlikely that passers-by will see the same segment twice. Whether you are cycling, walking, or pausing for a moment, there is always something new to discover. The screening is accessible at any time of day and is free of charge.

34-hour screening Occupied City

On the weekend of October 11th and 12th, the Rijksmuseum will screen the entire 34 hour film continuously, with sound and narration. The screening begins on Saturday morning at 9.30 hr in the museum's auditorium and will continue through until Sunday evening.