W139

W139 is an artist-run space and exhibition platform for contemporary art located at Warmoesstraat 139 in the center of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Established in 1979, it originated as a squat in a former theater by five young artists seeking an alternative to the uniform offerings of museums and commercial galleries. Over nearly half a century, it has evolved from an anti-establishment initiative into a full-fledged, non-museal platform that operates parallel to established art structures. It is distinguished as a space for risk, allowing artists to realize site-specific work and explore varied presentation modes away from the conventional art market.

In October 1979, five young artists squatted the former theater on Warmoesstraat 139 as a movement against the closed world of commercial art and museums. They provisionally renovated the building with materials found in the vicinity, living and working in the space around the clock, and often keeping the venue open at night. The first group exhibition took place in 1980, featuring work by Guus van de Werf, Ad de Jong, and Marianne Kroonenberg. The building faced demolition threats in the 1960s and 1970s when owner De Bijenkorf planned to replace the block with a parking garage and office. Squatters and remaining residents successfully resisted these plans, leading to the sale of the properties to the municipality in 1983. A major renovation of the building occurred between 2004 and 2007 under the directorship of Ann Demeester, who led the institution from 2003 to 2006. During this closure, exhibition activities were temporarily relocated to the basement of the Post CS building, the temporary location of the Stedelijk Museum in the former main post office next to Amsterdam Centraal Station. W139 returned to its original Warmoesstraat location in 2007. Tim Voss has also served as director and curator.

W139 functions as a non-museal exhibition platform rather than a traditional collecting institution. Its programming focuses on contemporary and current art, organized by a rotating group of national and international artists who follow the venue's artist-run approach. The space prioritizes risk and experimentation, frequently accommodating site-specific installations that necessitate structural alterations to the interior. Exhibitions have historically featured varied presentation methods, including three-dimensional staging and visual art integrated into performances. The venue also hosts educational and discursive programs, such as courses for art collectors in the early 2000s and the recurring talk show Stampa, which addresses questions of current art four times a year.

As a non-collecting initiative, W139 does not maintain a permanent art collection. Instead, its significance lies in its extensive exhibition history, having realized hundreds of exhibitions over more than forty years. The platform has served as an early venue for internationally established artists such as Aernout Mik and Philippe Parreno, as well as promising emerging talents like Melanie Bonajo and Zoro Feigl, who showed their work at W139 at the beginning of their careers. Specific exhibitions held in 2016 include Gym of Absolute Technology, Shifting Spaces, and UU&ME. More recent programming includes the 2024 exhibition flour, water, soil, initiated by maria khatchadourian and featuring site-specific works by Areej Ashhab, the duo Common Ground (Anna Celda and Saja Amro), Ola Hassanain, Ai Ozaki, and belit sağ, reflecting on food, land, and agricultural practice as infrastructures of displacement and kinship.

The building at Warmoesstraat 139 is situated in the heart of the Amsterdam red-light district and has been a national monument since 1985. It comprises two structures: an original 16th-century residential house with a plastered cornice facade likely from the third quarter of the 19th century, and a lower gate building to the left with a plastered gable topped by a pediment-like wooden frame. The site housed a German society in the 19th century, and from 1880, the folk theater De Vereeniging, which included a theater hall and stage tower at the rear. In 1904, owner W.A. Mullen reopened it as cafe-chantant De Sphinx, where performer Eduard Jacobs frequently appeared, and in 1909 it became the Palais de Danse. The facade, which had been lowered in 1958, was restored and the upper floors reconstructed during the comprehensive renovation of the Blaauwlakenblok between 2002 and 2012. The former theater at the rear was converted into residential and work spaces during this restoration.

W139 is located at Warmoesstraat 139 in the center of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It continues to operate as an active artist-run space, presenting contemporary art exhibitions and programs organized by a collective of artists. The venue maintains its role as a non-museal platform parallel to the established art world, offering a dedicated space for artistic risk and site-specific realization. Information regarding current exhibitions and opening hours is available on its official website.