In pursuit of wonder and critical thinking.
Sheer knowledge, absurdism and experiment in its hull.
On board of Serendiep you can find a theatre for an audience of 50 people, and an atelier with fab lab. Serendiep is a sailing abode for the work of the artists' collective De Spullenmannen. They built the labyrinth on board, where visitors make a journey through a world of art and science.
－⋅≕ serendipity ≔⋅－
The name of the ship is derived from 'serendipity', the phenomenon of unexpected finds that is such an important driver for both art and science. On the one hand it alludes to the fact that in a search, an unexpected find can prove more important than the original goal of the search. You are looking for something, but you find something better. On the other hand it alludes to the capability of a prepared mind to recognize and notice the significance of such a find. See also en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serendipity.
－⋅≕ history ≔⋅－
The ship was built in 1959 at shipyard De Jong en Smit in IJsselmonde, as one of the last ships with a riveted steel frame. Going by the name 'Fe' originally, and from 1971 by the name 'Anje', the ship served as a cargo barge on the inland waterways of mainly the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. In 2018 the ship was acquired by De Spullenmannen, who are converting it to a space for science, absurdism, and commons. Serendiep is registered in the Dutch Registry of Sailing Heritage, the Register of Historic Ships kept by the LVBHB (nr 14950) and takes part in the Schepencarrousel. For more information (in Dutch) see nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serendiep.