Sasha Pevak (independant curator and artist) during a digital studio visit: ‘The monument becomes visible only when it is removed’.

Not Forever moved around the NDSM wharf for two months, always under the care of users of the space. Their presence provided a context for the work, as did the physical surroundings, which changed as the object moved around. The weight and proportions of the object, which was made from recycled materials, forced its caretakers to collaborate when moving it from one location to the next. Not Forever forms an attempt to make tangible their collective care and concern for the wharf, and to materialise this into something that could be cherished together, albeit temporarily. During the finnissage, the object was peeled bare by both the audience and the artist, after which a recycling company collected the skeleton and drove away.

Not Forever reflects on the questions Stichting NDSM-werf raised in their ‘(un)monumenting’ series: what could or should a monument be in our present time? For whom is a monument intended, and who gets to determine this? This performative and temporary monument (contradiction intended) is an ode to what the wharf was, is, and might not be much longer if we let gentrification and climate change continue to develop as they currently are.

You can find a longer interview with Sijben about this work here.

_{Yawen Fu and Daichi Fuwa were studio assistants during this project. It was curated by Ewa Scheifes and Petra Heck from Stichting NDSM-werf, with communication help from Robin van Dijk. The participation of Corine from Grafische Werkplaats Amsterdam, Tim Jongens from IJVER Amsterdam, David Roos from STRAAT Museum, Simone Hogendijk from Over het IJ festival, Sarah Payton from the Kunststad, Houk van Lier from Houkmaakthet, Robbert Jongkind and Justa from Treehouse NDSM, Marcel from NDSM Bikes and Erik from Eriks House were crucial in this project. Matthijs form I. Deegen & Zoon BV was a big help too. Big thanks to all of the above!}

_{The first picture was taken by Robbert Jongkind. This work was made possible with the generous support of Stichting NDSM-werf and the Mondriaan Fund.}