Shigeru Onishi

This exhibition is made possible by the Japan Foundation.

Foam is supported by the VriendenLoterij, Foam Members, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, the VandenEnde Foundation and the City of Amsterdam.

In 2021 Foam receives additional support from the Mondriaan Fund and Kickstart Cultuurfonds.

Foam proudly presents the first European solo exhibition of the Japanese mathematician and artist Shigeru Onishi. It is the first time that his photographic oeuvre is shown in Europe, giving the artist a deserved place in the history of photography.

 shows the forgotten photographic oeuvre of Shigeru Onishi (1928 - 1994). After graduating in topology (branch of mathematics) from Hokkaido University in 1953, the artist began to apply his mathematical theories to photography. Although his theories are fairly complex, they have produced a unique body of work that distanced him from other movements and ideas in Japanese photography of his time.

The Flicker Phase, 1950

Foam

Title unknown, 1950s 

The Flicker Phase, 1950s

Title unknown, 1950s

Shigeru Onishi - The Possibility of Existence, 2021

Shigeru Onishi - The Possibility of Existence

On Thursday 18 November, we invite you to join the curator tour of 

 by Shigeru Onishi. In the tour, Foam curator Mirjam Kooiman will take you through the first European solo presentation of this striking series.

Opening Shigeru Onishi and Alexandra Rose Howland, 2021

Exhibition tour: Shigeru Onishi - The Possibility of Existence

Visit Foam during the autumn break for a special photography workshop for children, inspired by artist Nadav Kander’s exhibition 

During a guided tour with a museum educator, children discover how light, shadow, colour, space and composition can influence the atmosphere of an image. They then head to the studio to get hands-on and explore photography with all their senses. As part of the workshop, they create a photograph that makes a smell, sound, taste or feeling visible without showing it literally. Using different materials, scents, sounds and colours, they first build a small scene or landscape. They then photograph their creation with a camera. The result is a photograph that not only invites you to look, but also evokes something you can feel, smell or hear. At the end of the workshop, the children share their photographs with one another and receive a certificate.

Educatieprogramma's primair onderwijs

Mouth IX, near Shanghai, China, 2007 (from the series Yangtze – The Long River)

Kids workshop: Explore photography with all your senses

Blommers & Schumm Walk-in Workshop

Every other Sunday afternoon, Foam offers a free walk-in workshop inspired by Martin Parr’s exhibition 

. Martin Parr is a British photographer known for his bold colours, sharp humour, and distinctive way of capturing everyday life, turning ordinary moments into striking and often ironic images of modern society.

In this workshop, you will create your own personal postcard, inspired by Parr’s unique perspective. Discover his way of seeing and experience photography in a fun and creative way. 

Benidorm Spain 1997 From Autoportrait series

Martin Parr exhibition

To Sang Fotostudio, Amsterdam, Holland, 2000 From ‘Autoportrait’ series

Martin Parr Walk-in Workshop

Kids workshop: Stories of Martin Parr in sign language

Photography Workshop: Mounir Raji - Home 

Get ready for a kids workshop full of fun, creativity, and colour during the May holidays!

In this workshop, children explore the playful and colourful world of photographer Martin Parr. With a camera in hand, they go on a little adventure in and around the museum, looking for funny, colourful, and unusual moments on the streets of Amsterdam. They learn to look at the world through the lens of Martin Parr.

After taking photos, all the pictures are brought together into one big group collage. With the help of AI, the collage becomes a unique colouring page that children can bring to life with colour and their own imagination. 

New Brighton England Great Britain 1985

Benidorm Spain 1997 From Autoportrait series © Collection Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

Kids workshop: Quirky Portraits

Are you an emerging photographer, visual artist or creative navigating your next step? Do you sometimes wonder how to find your voice, develop your work, or build a sustainable creative practice? Together with Foam, Atay Atelier⁠ is organizing an intimate conversation in MAQAM for emerging makers with artists Sarah Amrani and Khalid Amakran, both of whom have exhibited their work in museums and cultural institutions.

During this conversation, we will explore the realities of the creative journey: how to develop your own voice, build meaningful work, stay true to your vision, and navigate the opportunities and challenges that come with being an artist today. Drawing from their own experiences, Sarah and Khalid will reflect on topics such as artistic development, storytelling, creating a coherent body of work, exhibiting your work, and finding your place within the wider cultural landscape.

MAQAM

From the series “Dreamland” (2017 - 2022)

Talk with Sarah Amrani and Khalid Amakran

FOAM X ATAY ATELIER: Talk with Sarah Amrani and Khalid Amakran

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Dive into the colourful and humorous world of Martin Parr during the May holidays. This workshop is designed for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

The workshop begins with a guided tour of the exhibition 

 by Martin Parr. Accompanied by a sign language museum educator, children discover Parr’s photography. After the tour, they gather in the exhibition’s reading corner, where they share their own observations and engage in conversation about the work in sign language.

On Thursday, 15 January, Foam presents a special evening with 

 who have been invited to develop a dance performance in dialogue with the exhibition by 

In their practice, Lunatics and Poets explore how gestures, movements and objects acquire meaning. Their approach resonates with recurring themes within the oeuvre of Blommers & Schumm, including desire, transformation and the shifting boundaries of fashion.

Performance by Lunatics and Poets

Breath and Sway: Ode to Blommers en Schumm

Programme

Are you curious about photography that goes beyond simply capturing what you see? Step into this walk-in workshop inspired by the visual language of artist duo 

Discover how to create a playful, conceptual or alienating image using a professional camera or smartphone by working with space, composition and light. Be surprised, experiment and create something that breaks away from the everyday.

The Desk for Mac Guffin 2020

Foam studio 1 & 2

Nadja for Buffalo Magazine, Styling by Harry Lambert, 2019

Kunst en cultuur worden vaak vooral visueel ervaren. Daardoor wordt minder snel stilgestaan bij bezoekers met een visuele beperking. Wat nemen zij mee van een museumbezoek, en hoe kun je ervoor zorgen dat ook zij een betekenisvolle ervaring hebben?

 maak je kennis met de wereld van mensen met een visuele beperking. Je ontdekt hoe een bezoek aan een museum of culturele instelling ook voor hen waardevol kan zijn. 

De training biedt praktische inzichten en nodigt je uit om zelf te ervaren wat toegankelijkheid betekent. Daarnaast krijg je concrete handvatten om direct aan de slag te gaan met het verbeteren van toegankelijkheid binnen je eigen organisatie.

ongezien

Ongezien

Dive into the daily life of Amsterdam-West during a photography workshop at MAQAM, inspired by the exhibition

 is an ode to Amsterdam-West, and above all to the people who bring these neighbourhoods to life. During the workshop you will not only learn the techniques of street photography, but also gain insight into how to capture the essence of a place and its residents, from squares and back gardens to encounters that often go unnoticed yet form the beating heart of the city. 

We are offering the same workshop on two dates: Sunday 30 November and Sunday 1 February, both from 13.00 to 17.00 hrs at MAQAM. Please book only one date, as the sessions are identical.

All images are from Mounir Raji's Home series. 

All images are courtesy of Mounir Raji's Home series.

All images from the series Home © Mounir Raji⁠.

and discover their world from up close. In these exclusive workshops you’ll collaborate on a new artwork together with the artists.

Through playful experiments with light, materials, and spatial objects, you’ll create an uncanny composition that challenges what feels familiar. An inspiring experience where experimentation, collaboration, and imagination take the lead.

Nella for buffalo magazine, styling Harry Lambert, 2019

Blommers/Schumm

Merkelbach Studio, Stadsarchief, 2013

Shifted Perspectives Studio Blommers & Schumm

Aby Fulani

We invited musician and producer Aby Fulani to create a playlist inspired by the works of Liz Johnson Artur. Offering a fresh way to experience the exhibition, music adds new dimensions to the essence of Liz's work, especially while museum doors are closed.

The different rooms were displayed like an assembly of different drummers and percussionists.

Liz Johnson Artur - of life of love of sex of movement of hope © Foam. Photo: Christian van der Kooy.⁠

Liz Johnson Artur - of life of love of sex of movement of hope, 2021

A Queer Practice, Film and Photography. Archives of the work of Black Queer creators.

What does the city look like through the eyes of a child? Join us on an exciting journey in Foam, with a pinhole camera in hand! In this special workshop, kids will hit the streets with curious eyes and creative minds. Inspired by the exhibition 

, they’ll experiment with spy photography and explore the art of composition – capturing the city in surprising new ways.

Workshop pinhole fotografie voor kinderen

Workshop: Pinhole photography adventure for kids 

How do we preserve our stories? Which Black queer films and photographic works have had a profound impact on you, and why? Together with 

, this workshop will explore the power of queer representation on the big screen, and examine how you can contribute to archiving your own images, voices and memories.

Rafik

What does the city look like through the eyes of a child? Join us on an exciting journey from Museumplein to Foam, pinhole camera in hand! In this special workshop, kids will hit the streets with curious eyes and creative minds. Inspired by the exhibition 

Workshop straatfotografie

Museumplein

Illegale opname vanuit fietstas van commandopost Kriegsmarine, genomen vanaf het Emmaplein de Emmalaan in, Amsterdam, 1944

Workshop: Pinhole photography adventure for kids

AI Walk-in Workshop Carlijn Jacobs

Every Sunday afternoon, Foam offers free walk-in workshops inspired by Viviane Sassen's current exhibition 

In this workshop, you will use your own photos and blend them with captivating images from magazines to create a unique collage. Afterwards, you can bring your artwork to life using various painting techniques. This workshop is suitable to all ages and skill levels.

Eudocimus Ruber from the series Of Mud and Lotus, 2017

Acid Lime from the series Heliotrope, 2016

Luxaflex from the series Of Mud and Lotus, 2017 C Viviane Sassen and Stevenson

Viviane Sassen Walk-in Workshop

On 5 September, we will host a fun pub quiz full of facts about AI. During the 

, Roos Groothuizen and Nastia Cistakova will ask accessible questions about AI, privacy, fake news and online ethics, to playfully explore the world of AI. 

, this pub quiz will test your knowledge about Artificial Intelligence in art. Come grab a drink with your friends and compete for the grand prize.

AI AI AI Pubquiz

Eye 4 - Detect, perceive, explore, 2023

AI Pub Quiz

Every Sunday afternoon, Foam offers free walk-in workshops inspired by the work of 

. During the workshop, we will experiment with the AI tool DALL·E. These workshops are suitable for all ages.

Did you ever think of combining the joy of generating AI images with the thrill of a rap battle? Join us for the 

 in collaboration with the digital culture platform 

— as part of the crowd or as a participant if you're up for the challenge.

During a prompt battle, participants will battle it out on stage to see who can create the most original, funniest, or weirdest AI-generated image. Instead of coming up with pulverising bars about your opponent or showing off your best moves, a prompt battle challenges you to generate an image using AI text-to-image software that goes way harder than your rival’s.

Screenshot The Hmm Co-creation with AI

Prompt Battle Co-Creation

Opening Photography Through the Lens of AI, 2024

Foam x The Hmm: AI Prompt Battle

Learn about the radicalizing potential of digital images in the masterclass 

 by exhibiting artists Jakob Ganslmeier and Ana Zibelnik. During this workshop, we will question the ethical use of visuals in the seemingly democratic online landscape, led by the artist duo and based on themes in their current exhibition 

Redpilled Video Still 2023

Gigapedia. Exhibition Glossary

Photography & Conflict, 2024

Bereitschaft, 2024

Jakob Ganslmeier and Ana Zibelnik – Visual Compas

During the summer months, Foam offers free walk-in workshops every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon. The workshop is inspired by the current exhibition 

shigeru-onishi

Shigeru Onishi
The Possibility of Existence

Curator Tour: Shigeru Onishi
The Possibility of Existence

Kids workshop:
Explore photography with all your senses

Walk-in workshop
Martin Parr

Kids workshop:
Quirky Portraits

Foam x Atay Atelier:
Talk with Sarah Amrani and Khalid Amakran

Donate to Foam

Kids workshop:
Stories of Martin Parr in sign language

Dance Performance Breath and Sway: A Tribute to Blommers and Schumm

Programme

Walk-in workshop
Blommers and Schumm

Workshop Ongezien

Street Photography Workshop
Mounir Raji - Home

Shifted Perspectives
In-Studio workshop by Blommers & Schumm

Playlist by Aby Fulani: visualising the work of Liz Johnson Artur through sound

Through the little lens: Pinhole photography for kids

A Queer Practice:
film and photography

Through the little lens: Pinhole photography for kids

Painting & collage
walk-in workshop

AI Pub Quiz

ArtificiaI Intelligence
Walk-in Workshop

Foam x The Hmm:
AI Prompt Battle

Visual Compass by Jakob Ganslmeier and Ana Zibelnik

Walk-in Workshop
Sara Cwynar S/S 23

shigeru-onishi

Shigeru Onishi The Possibility of Existence

Curator Tour: Shigeru Onishi The Possibility of Existence

Kids workshop: Explore photography with all your senses

Walk-in workshop Martin Parr

Kids workshop:Quirky Portraits

Foam x Atay Atelier: Talk with Sarah Amrani and Khalid Amakran

Donate to Foam

Kids workshop:Stories of Martin Parr in sign language

Dance Performance Breath and Sway: A Tribute to Blommers and Schumm

Programme

Walk-in workshop Blommers and Schumm

Workshop Ongezien

Street Photography Workshop Mounir Raji - Home

Shifted PerspectivesIn-Studio workshop by Blommers & Schumm

Playlist by Aby Fulani: visualising the work of Liz Johnson Artur through sound

Through the little lens: Pinhole photography for kids

A Queer Practice: film and photography

Through the little lens: Pinhole photography for kids

Painting & collagewalk-in workshop

AI Pub Quiz

ArtificiaI IntelligenceWalk-in Workshop

Foam x The Hmm: AI Prompt Battle

Visual Compass by Jakob Ganslmeier and Ana Zibelnik

Walk-in WorkshopSara Cwynar S/S 23

Shigeru Onishi
The Possibility of Existence

Curator Tour: Shigeru Onishi
The Possibility of Existence

Kids workshop:
Explore photography with all your senses

Walk-in workshop
Martin Parr

Kids workshop:
Quirky Portraits

Foam x Atay Atelier:
Talk with Sarah Amrani and Khalid Amakran

Kids workshop:
Stories of Martin Parr in sign language

Walk-in workshop
Blommers and Schumm

Street Photography Workshop
Mounir Raji - Home

Shifted Perspectives
In-Studio workshop by Blommers & Schumm

A Queer Practice:
film and photography

Painting & collage
walk-in workshop

ArtificiaI Intelligence
Walk-in Workshop

Foam x The Hmm:
AI Prompt Battle

Walk-in Workshop
Sara Cwynar S/S 23