Stick Up Rotterdam

During the Wereld van de Witte de With festival in 2009, visitors were invited to take part in the interactive project “Stick Up!”. This playful installation consisted of three mobile walls on which people could be taped with brightly colored gaffer tape — only to be joyfully paraded through the street afterward.

“Stick Up!” playfully referenced the historical practice of public humiliation — such as tar and feathering — while drawing a parallel to contemporary, often digital, forms of public shaming. In an era where social media and stores eagerly display photos of (alleged) shoplifters, the installation raised questions about the boundaries of social control and public correction.

The work invited participants of all ages to playfully “put friend or foe in the stocks” — in cheerful style. The result was a lively mix of humor, reflection, and visual spectacle in the heart of Rotterdam’s city center. “Stick Up!” was produced by Mothership on behalf of ‘September in Rotterdam’ (Rotterdam Festivals) and curated by Mothership.