On 5 July 2025, a remarkable artwork will be unveiled in Molenvlietpark, The Hague: Be longing, by artist Michael Rakowitz. The artwork is based on the idea that migrants bring household objects and recipes from their home countries to feel at home in their new surroundings. During archaeological excavations near Molenvlietpark, fragments of plates and bowls were found, which are being reconstructed by archaeologists. These hybrid objects inspired Rakowitz’s design proposal, in which the diverse backgrounds of the people of The Hague form the basis of the artwork. He sees a parallel between the archaeological layers from Forum Hadriani, a former Roman city and the social layers of the city's population.
For Rakowitz, each new artwork is preceded by an intensive research process in which he actively involves both local and international communities. For the commission in The Hague, he spoke with many people from migrant communities during his visits to the city, with whom he aims to collaborate.
Migrant voices told through ceramics
Central to the project is his partnership with the Participatie Keuken (Participation Kitchen), an initiative by Ben Lachhab that builds on the idea that every person wants to feel seen, heard, and valued. Together they organise communal dinners and gatherings where issues affecting different migrant communities in The Hague are discussed through the objects brought by the participants and meals prepared together. He invites residents to donate crockery they have brought from their country of origin, to serve as tangible foundations for all the stories. In the final artwork, these stories will resonate in the ceramic shards.
Residents from The Hague, Rijswijk and Voorburg contributed to the artwork with their personal stories and ceramic objects. The result is a unique composition of memories, connectedness, and creativity.The large-scale archaeological excavations near Molenvlietpark served as a source of inspiration for the outdoor artwork. Centuries ago, Romans and other peoples left various everyday objects in the soil beneath the park and the nearby Rotterdamsebaan.
About the artist
Michael Rakowitz is an Iraqi-American artist working at the intersection of problem-solving and troublemaking. His work has appeared in many venues worldwide like MoMA, Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Tate Modern in London, and his work is rewarded by many different awards.
About the history
Forum Hadriani was a Roman city founded after the Batavian revolt (AD 69–70) as the capital of the Cananefates tribe, in present-day Voorburg. Renamed in honour of Emperor Hadrian, it thrived as a regional hub with a canal built by General Corbulo and structures like bathhouses, shops, and a port. Despite its modest size, it was a fully developed Roman town. The city was abandoned around AD 275 after regional upheaval and was never rebuilt. Today, its remains lie beneath Arentsburg park and are part of the UNESCO-listed Lower German Limes.
Long Walk to Freedom
Artist Arie Schippers was commissioned by the Nelson Mandela Statue Foundation The Hague in 2008 to create a full-length, lifelike statue of Mandela. Using synthetic foam as a mould for bronze casting, Schippers — originally a landscape painter — brought Mandela’s image to life.
Escher in the Palace
Museum Escher in The Palace is a permanent exhibition in The Hague dedicated to the world-famous artist M.C. Escher, whose art startled millions of people all over the world. The collection is housed in the former Winter Palace of Queen Mother Emma of the Netherlands.
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