W139

About W139

W139 is a presentation and production space for contemporary art in the centre of Amsterdam. It was founded in 1979 by a group of young artists who wanted to present an alternative to the collections and exhibitions on show at the city’s museums and commercial galleries.

In the course of 30 years, W139 has evolved from an anti-establishment squat into a professional non-institutional platform for contemporary art. The program includes both Dutch and international artists who are invited to develop a new (site-specific) work for the W139 area.

Today, W139 operates parallel with, rather than in opposition to, the more established exhibition venues. W139 provides ‘room for risk’, and in so doing fulfills a unique role in the Dutch art world.