MARTIAL ARTS
Wereldmuseum Amsterdam (NL)
Temporary Exhibition 2024
1100 sqm
"The greatest weapon in martial arts is not the fist or the foot, but the mind."
Join us on this engaging journey and find out why people around the world practice Martial Arts.

Guests are welcomed by a captivating photo series of local Martial Arts Masters, specially produced for this experience. This transitional welcome sets the tone before they step into our Martial Arts School through an dynamic projection screen showing international MA-schools.

The following introduction space, prepares our guests for the experience ahead.

An introductory text poses a key question that will be answered in the next seven spaces. The changing room offers outfits on benches and in lockers, with videos showing how to put on the MA gear.

Train your body in our gym!

This topic focuses on different physical sports divided in three subthemes - kicking and boxing, wrestling and weapponed martial arts.

Our guests can experience the stunning collection and also become active themselves and try out the training equippment.

Train your mind –

Guests enter a sacred space featuring three altars, each displaying stunning artifacts from the martial arts traditions of Kung Fu, Kalaripayattu, and Muay Thai. These altars honor the rich heritage and spiritual essence of each discipline.

At the heart of this circular space, guests are invited to engage in a tranquil meditation experience. A gentle stream of inspirational quotes is dynamically projected onto the surrounding curtain.

With a trained body and mind, our Guests are now ready for "The Fight".

To prepare they can practice the staredown and are guided by light and music into the main space,

The ring! This central interactive lets our Guests fight each other and compair their agility and reaction skills.

Surrounding this central interactive display are various artifacts from Samurai, Bolivian Cholita Wrestling, and Nguni Stickfighting, showcasing their rich traditions. A large video wall plays highlights of legendary fights featuring 10 of the greatest martial artists of all time.

Guests exit through our trophy room, where they can snap a photo with a championship belt, creating a memorable keepsake of their experience.

The trophies on display are on loan from the world’s most renowned martial arts athletes, showcasing the pinnacle of their achievements and dedication.

The following space adresses the topics of Self-defense and Resistance that have long been a vital aspects of martial arts, serving as tools of empowerment and survival, especially for marginalized communities facing oppression and injustice.

This space blends a spatially arranged collection with hand-painted explanatory murals and dynamic projections.

In the center of the hall stands a House constructed from martial arts belts.

Inside, various aspects of the martial arts community are explored through a series of engaging topics.

This final space celebrates the pop culture and beauty of martial arts. Surrounded by posters of iconic martial arts films, guests can enjoy a compilation of the most poetic and memorable movie scenes ever created.

In the Outrospace, local dojos showcase their schools through a audiovisual presentation, inviting guests to continue their martial arts journey with a complimentary trial lesson at one of their facilities. Also our guests can leave their impression on the punchingbag.

Friends:
Philip Stroomberg - Graphic Design for M A F and DTP
Shosho - AV productions
Fiction Factory - Exhibition build
MAV - AV Hardware
Heinz Loopstra - Lightdesign
Mara Molenkamp - Projectlead Wereldmuseum
Rik Herder - Curator and community outreach Wereldmseum
Daan Kok - Curator
Gerritjan Huinink, Aad Hoogendoorn, Kevin Kwee - Photography
Amsterdam Signpainters - Mural
Jan Kirkham - Portretphotos Martial Artists
TECHNICAL REALISATION
Fiction Factory
MAV Techniek
DutchMountings
Atelier Elisabeth J. Kuiper
Irina Tsjeroenova
Marianne Inkelaar
Saskia Rijsdijk
BrinkmanKuiper
Daan Frentz GEDAAN
Jasper Fernhout
AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTIONS
Tom Ooms - Cinemore
Mette Menting, Siyabonga Makhatini - Mals Media
INTERACTIVES:
100%FAT
EPLF CDH DHI eM+ Laboratory for Experimental Museology (eM+)
PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Hassan Hajjaj
Hans Op de Beeck
And many more:





































































































































































