An exhibition celebrating Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary
To mark Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary we unveiled “GEDOGEN+Amsterdam Core”: a unique exhibition featuring 75 figurines that playfully capture the contradictions of everyday life in the city – a place where rules bend, opposites coexist and tolerance defines identity. Brought to life through AI exploration and 3D printing, the first-of-its kind collection reveals the beloved characters and quirks that are instantly recognized in the capital
Conceptualized by The Kennedys, the exhibition is inspired by the habits, quirks and fleeting moments that make up Amsterdam life. From canal-side pilates to eternal roadworks to the impromptu display of discarded furniture, these frozen ‘Gedogen’ moments capture the contradictions of a city that thrives on paradoxes.
The 75-figurine collection was unveiled at ADNIGHT: small portraits of everyday life, each paired with playful, familiar words and images that bring its story to life. Their gestures feel instantly recognizable: someone you’ve passed on the street, or maybe a version of yourself. These pieces are realized through prompting observations into AI to inform their initial character and expressions, and are prototyped using multi-layered 3D printing, complete with the occasional AI slop. During the evening, visitors were invited to use the same prompting process to turn their own reflections of the city into AI-generated figurines, adding to the collection. The best prompts were then selected, with the winner having their own figurine 3D printed.
During the opening event, we were also joined by local talent. Jonas Kooyman, the sharp-witted observer behind the popular Havermelk Elite Instagram account discussed the cultural insights that drive his observations, aswell as DJ sets by locals Annicée and Fumez.
Keep scrolling for all 75 figurines…
Nijntje: proof that with three lines and a cross you can create a worldwide icon. Dutch minimalism at its finest. – 1 / 5
New day, new latte. Matcha green, oat creamy, sunglasses oversized, bag from Rotterdam casually swinging. The taste is debatable but the look on point. – 2 / 5
The BVO (“beer for the road”): the Dutch way to turn a simple bike ride into a full-on pub crawl. – 3 / 5
Furniture shopping has never been easier - or cheaper. In Amsterdam, one person’s dump is another’s dream interior. – 4 / 5
From sofas to toddlers to golden retrievers. If it fits, it ships. The bakfiets is Amsterdam’s turbo truck with an entire household on board. – 5 / 5
Nothing says Amsterdam nightlife like a paper tray of shawarma at 3 a.m. It’s the meal that turns stumbling home into a victory lap. – 1 / 5
Dutch field hockey girls: always in tight sports gear, but somehow more focused on the afterparty and prosecco than the ball. – 2 / 5
Every city has landmarks, Amsterdam just happens to have ones that reek. These green urinals are as iconic as they are unavoidable. – 3 / 5
Not your average espresso bar. Here the house special is rolled, not roasted. – 4 / 5
It may look like a toy, but don’t be fooled - this little beast conquers canalside curbs, dodges delivery bikes, and parks like a ninja in style. – 5 / 5
Clogs off, shades on, glass of orange wine in hand. This Dutch dame proves that gedogen is not just what you tolerate; it’s what you toast to. – 1 / 5
At this point, it’s harder to find an Amsterdammer without a DJ alias. Everyone’s got the tattoos, the shades, the “exclusive mix”. – 2 / 5
For €60 a year you get access to 400 museums. And a guilty conscience if you don’t go. – 3 / 5
As soon as the ice is one centimeter thick, half the Netherlands is on it as if gravity doesn’t exist. – 4 / 5
Some kids learn their ABCs, others learn the Ajax roster. Either way, the devotion starts in diapers and never really ends. – 5 / 5
Where fabric turns into art piece. An ode to a Dutch design that turns bodies into moving cathedrals, fabric into art statements. – 1 / 5
Snacks from the Dutch deep fryer are basically culinary roulette: you never really know what’s inside, but hey, as long as it’s round, brown, and scalding hot, they call it ‘lekker’. – 2 / 5
Sticker on, story off. Because some clubs aren’t meant for content, only for chaos. – 3 / 5
Outside the ring is where you go for IKEA, not for life. – 4 / 5
One bike, four riders, infinite chaos. Someone’s smoking, someone’s steering, all of them are spreading pandemonium. – 5 / 5
The blowout hair defies wind resistance, the heels defy physics, but nothing defies the Dutch bike lane. – 1 / 5
Keti Koti means “the chains are broken”: a day to reflect on the past and celebrate freedom together. – 2 / 5
Every Dutch childhood runs through the shallow waters of a pierenbadje. Chlorine-free, slightly questionable, but the birthplace of endless summer adventures. – 3 / 5
Stamppot: culinary innovation, if your only spices are salt, pepper, and despair. – 4 / 5
From café queue to canal stroll, it’s Birks, a bold tee, and fresh Saint-Jean carbs to seal the fit. – 5 / 5
Forget museums, this is the tourist performance piece nobody asked for. A belly, a beer, and a very public fountain. – 1 / 5
Downward dog on the dock? Too basic. In Amsterdam, wellness floats - because enlightenment isn’t cheap. – 2 / 5
Step in for bread, leave with six toothbrushes and three mystery sauces. The Bonus always wins. – 3 / 5
Every plan begins with a glance at this app, like a digital crystal ball. Yet half the time it’s wrong, and you’re left drenched anyway. – 4 / 5
One pier, 200 swimmers, zero hesitation. The water’s murky, the sun’s barely out, and someone’s already doing a shaky dive. – 5 / 5
Born from the beats of Milkshake Festival, this is a tiny tribute to Amsterdam’s loudest celebration of love without labels. – 1 / 5
At Noordermarkt, oysters aren’t luxury, they’re lunch. Where market stalls turn fine dining into a casual Saturday ritual. – 2 / 5
Blocked street? No problem. In Amsterdam, every detour is just another chance to turn the bike lane into a catwalk. – 3 / 5
No counters, no waiting, just a wall of guilty pleasures. This is convenience cuisine at its finest. – 4 / 5
The hat, the vest, the beer - standard issue for every dutch boy from a frat house. – 5 / 5
Amsterdam’s unofficial uniform is out and about. Equal parts glam and budget, she’s spotted in the wild every day. – 1 / 5
The ferry: where you learn that 200 people, 50 bikes, and a cargo bike all fit on a single deck. – 2 / 5
Welcome to Amsterdam real estate: BYO box. Fits a plant, a chair, and your crushed hopes. – 3 / 5
The rustic treasures that our canals keep close to their hearts (or bottoms). Occasionally, one even lands in a museum. – 4 / 5
Imported as pets, escaped as legends. These green gangs turned the city trees into their permanent turf. – 5 / 5
It’s half theatre, half assault on the senses: wooden figures dance while the organ belts out its tune. In the chaos of the city center, subtlety never stood a chance. – 1 / 5
Bitterballen shared, beers sipped, and then…ping! A Tikkie lands for €2.37. That’s Dutch love, split evenly. – 2 / 5
Every day on Dam Square, rain or shine, he clocks in dressed for the afterlife. Commitment like this? Dead serious. – 3 / 5
The Dutch call it “cultural heritage,” but the rest of the world calls it “picking flowers straight from someone else’s garden”. – 4 / 5
The Dutch finance bro: sharp suit, shiny shoes, and always that one sock with a flamingo on it - pure rebellion. – 5 / 5
World Cup in the Netherlands: beer, orange outfits, bitterballen, and the eternal illusion that this year is finally our year – 1 / 5
Without dikes, Dutch geography is just “The North Sea, extended edition.” – 2 / 5
Efficiency is the Dutch superpower, even in childcare logistics. Why walk six kids when you can stack them and push them like groceries? – 3 / 5
Dutch rush hour = Mario Kart with rain and no power-ups. – 4 / 5
Who needs sneakers when you can wear a small forest? – 5 / 5
The city’s hottest attraction isn’t a canal or a museum…it’s the queue itself. Stand long enough and you’ll start wondering if the line was the experience all along. – 1 / 5
It’s not a party until someone says it’s gezellig. – 2 / 5
Only in the Netherlands do you have to worry about getting arrested and pooped on at the same time. – 3 / 5
Pray by day, pay by night. – 4 / 5
King’s Day: the national holiday where drinking beer at 10 AM is called “tradition.” – 5 / 5
This TØTE has seen it all: market hauls, laptops, unread novels, and at least three headphones. The only thing it can’t carry lightly is your shoulder. – 1 / 5
Dutch healthcare in one line: “Take two paracetamol and call me never.” – 2 / 5
In Amsterdam you pay €1200 for a 10m² room, and the mice come included for free. – 3 / 5
You don’t have to repair anything, just remember which one’s yours - the one with the blue tire. – 4 / 5
Patatje oorlog”: the only war no one fears - except your stomach – 5 / 5
Dekmantel: Sunshine is never on the lineup. – 1 / 5
Pepernoten: the only snack that tests your teeth and destroys them at the same time. – 2 / 5
The urban arrow: the ultimate ride for mothers, kids, dogs, and organic groceries. – 3 / 5
A peaceful sunny Sunday… until the clouds remember they’re Dutch. – 4 / 5
The frikandel speciaal is the only dish that already looks like it has a hangover. – 5 / 5
Thuisbezorgd: because a cyclist with an orange bag is your true savior. – 1 / 5
Welcome to the Netherlands: here’s your frikandelbroodje for regret, and a Dopper bottle to wash it down with guilt-free tap water. – 2 / 5
Shared dining in Amsterdam: you pay full price just to split three tiny bites and end up biking to Febo anyway. – 3 / 5
Buying cheese on sale: the Dutch equivalent of hitting the jackpot. – 4 / 5
Dinner isn’t just a meal here, it’s a schedule. At 18:00 sharp, knives are up and potatoes are down. – 5 / 5
Bite too soon and that “liquid gold” becomes a weapon of mass destruction for your tongue. – 1 / 5
Tourists during ADE: they come for the canals, but stay for the afters. – 2 / 5
Bread and cheese - because culinary ambition stops at noon. – 3 / 5
The only certainty with the train is that you’re not going to catch it. – 4 / 5
Foreigners learn Dutch through “fiets” and “kaas”; locals through “fluitje” and “vaasje.” – 5 / 5
