Jan Giliam

Here you’ll find authentic urban snapshots in pastel and coloured pencil on paper, captured between 1990 and 2000. This is my Amsterdam in all its contrasts. The charming canals and vibrant streets, yes, but also the sound of street musicians echoing through alleyways, the rush of traffic and bicycles, the crowds of tourists, and the quiet presence of those living on the edge, the homeless, the addicts, and the sex workers. These drawings also bear witness to Amsterdam’s darker moments, including the tragedy in Zuidoost, when a plane fell from the sky and left a permanent mark on the city’s memory.