Steve McQueen installation in depot during IFFR 2023

Sunshine State is the latest work by Oscar-winning filmmaker and Turner Prize-winning artist Steve McQueen. It is the first exhibition to be presented in the main hall on the fifth floor in the depot since the depot opened in November 2021. The presentation, part of IFFR's Art Directions program, is made possible by The Droom en Daad Foundation and is open to the public from Thursday, Jan. 26, through Sunday, Feb. 12.

Sunshine State

Sunshine State is McQueen's first new installation since his Year 3 artwork at Tate Britain in 2019. Sunshine State is a multichannel video project consisting of two screens placed side by side. The work starts with a blazing sun unraveling, while alongside it, images appear and are analyzed from the musical drama The Jazz Singer (1927), starring famed singer Al Jolson. The film is known as the first "talkie" in film history that used synchronized dialogue.

Festival director Vanja Kaludjercic: "We are looking forward with anticipation to the presentation of Steve McQueen's latest artwork Sunshine State, which we had commissioned for our 50th edition. McQueen is an uncompromising artist and filmmaker who shares our vision of all that cinema can be. The spectacular depot in Rotterdam is a fitting location for this monumental work that invites the audience for a moment of reflection."

Boijmans director Ina Klaassen: "The large hall on the fifth floor in the depot is being inaugurated as an exhibition space in a very special and spectacular way with Steve McQueen's installation with a special thanks to The Droom en Daad Foundation. It is fantastic that with Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen we are part of this international Rotterdam collaboration of the IFFR, The Droom en Daad Foundation and Steve McQueen."

A look behind the scenes

The art collection of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is kept and cared for in its brand new depot. From the outside, this work building is a mirroring pot, from the inside a veritable machine room where art handling, registration, restoration, and conservation are the main activities. Visitors get a glimpse behind the scenes of the museum in this Rotterdam icon. What normally remains hidden can be seen here. Fourteen climate-controlled rooms in the depot have been set up for all different works of art from paintings, photos, design, ceramics to fashion, film and metals. In the atrium you are surrounded by a selection of the works of art in large display cases and you can peek into the depot areas - which can also be visited under the supervision of a guide and security guard. With the depot app you can scan qr codes and view valuable information about the works and their conservation. Restaurant Renilde is located on the top floor with a roof garden and a magnificent view of the skyline of the ever-changing Rotterdam.

Fifth floor

On the fifth floor of the depot, the largest exhibition space is to be found, merged by The Stichting Droom en Daad Foundation. Sunshine State by Steve McQueen is the first presentation to be shown here since the opening of the building in November 2021. Since 2017, the Droom en Daad Foundation has been investing in projects that contribute to a beautiful and attractive Rotterdam for residents and visitors.

Practical info

The installation on the fifth floor is open to all depot audiences. Film festival visitors can purchase a discount ticket for a depot visit and present a film ticket from that day upon entry. After the film festival ends on Feb. 5, Sunshine State will remain on view until Feb. 12. Audiences can then use regular tickets to visit the exhibition in the depot.