In the documentary series Gateways of Europe (in Dutch Poorten van Europa), we see how the paper reality of European border control clashes with daily reality. Documentary makers Eefje Blankevoort, Els van Driel and Tomas Kaan were granted three years of access to Frontex, the European border agency that has come under fire due to human rights violations. They also followed key figures outside the agency who critically monitor the organization and its border policy.

Mail! Maps! Travelling without moving! We love all of this. This Summer, Fenix, the Rotterdam art museum about migration, is showcasing Hotel Europe on their central square. This artwork, by Harald Vlugt consist of four large tables that form a giant map of Europe. Up close, you see that the map consists of hundreds of envelopes. The artist has sent out these envelopes, back in 1997. Some got delivered, some didn’t. Next to the artwork, there is a special table that functions as a global mailbox. At the kiosk, you can buy a postcard and a Fenix stamp. Take a seat, write a summer greeting and send it out into the world.

This week, on the 27th of July, it’s 73 years ago since the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed, marking the still existing ceasefire between South and North Korea. The border between the two Koreas is a fascinating place that caught the attention of journalist Roland de Courson. He has been exploring the inter-Korean border, its history, landscapes, and the people living in its shadow and made K-Scar: A Journey Along the Korean Division. We recommend diving into this interesting online documentary project exploring everything border-related .

In The Studio #11, Bonnefanten in Maastricht (NL) is presenting Malina Suliman, a visual artist in exile, who sees her work as an instrument of social and political criticism. The exhibition includes an installation of two large maps of the world, through which she addresses themes like forced migration, violence and the idea of borders versus borderlessness. From June 13 till September 6.

What does freedom mean for women today? Qaqnas is a powerful, musical ode to that question. In this new opera, made by composer Huba de Graaff and Dutch-Kurdish singer-songwriter Naaz, voice, electronics and resistance take centre stage. To be seen between 11-14 June at the Holland Festival in Amsterdam (NL).

Nationalism is the most influential ideology of the modern world. Even those who don’t eat an orange tompouce on King’s Day understand what ‘typically Dutch’ directness or gezelligheid means. And who could possibly imagine a world without passports, borders and citizenship? Go and watch this exhibition until 20 September 2026 in Design Museum Den Bosch (NL).