FROM 4 JAN–8 MAR 2026 | Brutus will present ‘Fear of Falling’, a new exhibition by researcher-artist Carlijn Kingma centred on an intricate system drawing of Dutch housing. The show examines how policy, finance and development interact — and where levers for change might lie.
Exhibition overview
At the heart of the exhibition is De machinerie van de volkshuisvesting, a large, highly detailed drawing that maps the ecosystem of policymakers, banks, investors and housing corporations. The work situates the current housing crisis within a broader network of incentives and responsibilities, inviting viewers to read the image much like a diagram of moving parts.
Brutus adapts Kingma’s visual language to its industrial spaces with large-format projections and wall-sized prints. Animated details highlight layers within the housing system, while light, sound and text fragments underscore the analytical tone of the project. “Carlijn worked as a resident at the Brutus Lab in 2017–2018. Having her return to show new work here feels like the circle closing,” said Brutus director Sanne ten Brink.
Themes and context
Fear of Falling takes its title from Barbara Ehrenreich’s essay on middle-class anxiety. Kingma links that unease to housing: too few homes, misaligned supply, and assets that often fail to meet demand or long-term resilience. The exhibition positions housing as a structural source of public concern rather than a series of isolated problems.
Alongside the central drawing, the show includes smaller new works that zoom in on specific tensions — from flows of capital to the pressures felt by care institutions. Kingma also revisits strands from her earlier project Het waterwerk van ons geld (2022), extending her cartographic method to adjacent social systems.
Method and collaborators
De machinerie van de volkshuisvesting is based on around 120 interviews and a collaborative process with partners including the Province of South Holland, VRO, Triodos Bank, BNG, MRA, Squarewise and DGBC. The result consolidates a wide field of perspectives into a single, navigable map that can be read across multiple scales.
In parallel with the exhibition, Kingma and journalist Thomas Bollen are developing animations and a publication with Follow the Money for 2026. The project will travel as a pavilion to partner venues and education settings, broadening the conversation beyond the gallery.
About the artist
Trained as a classical architect at TU Delft, Carlijn Kingma (1991) has developed a practice at the intersection of research, art and unorthodox cartography. Her drawings render otherwise invisible structures that shape society. Previous presentations include Kunstmuseum Den Haag, the Depot of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rijksmuseum Twenthe and the Dutch Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.
Kingma’s connection to Brutus goes back to her early career: after graduating, she was artist-in-residence in the Brutus Lab (then AVL Mundo) in 2018, developing Stargazers & Gravediggers for Art Rotterdam. She returned the following year for the Brutus group exhibition Secret Society.
About brutus
Brutus is an artist-driven playground in a former harbour complex in Rotterdam West. With 6,000 m² of raw industrial space, it provides an alternative to the conventional white cube and encourages experimentation across disciplines. Beyond exhibitions and a sculpture garden, Brutus runs a residency programme and presents the Brutus Prize. The organisation comprises two foundations: Brutus Space, which delivers exhibitions and collaborations, and Brutus Base, which presents the work of Atelier Van Lieshout.
Visiting information
Fear of Falling
Dates: 4 January – 8 March 2026
Venue: Brutus Art Space, Keileweg 10b, 3029 BS Rotterdam
Opening hours: Thursday–Saturday, 12:00–18:00
More information: https://brutus.nl
Directions
Brutus is located in the M4H (Merwe-Vierhavens) district on the Keileweg, a short walk from the Vierhavensstraat tram stops and close to the harbour-edge creative hubs along Keilewerf and Keilepand. On-street parking is available in surrounding streets; cycling routes run via Vierhavensstraat and the river quays.
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