Despite being the next-door neighbours, Mila and Vladimir only really met working for the same gallery. This rapidly grew in a friendship and immediate desire to start collaborating and create something together.

 

An abandoned swimming pool (Het Beatrixbad, part of Oostelijk Zwembad in Kralingen) spoke to their mutual wish to rebel from the white box gallery space and bring art to the broader audience. Thanks to amazing support and financial funding from the Municipality of Rotterdam (Gemeente Rotterdam) and The Rotterdam Centre of Visual Arts (Centrum Beeldende Kunst Rotterdam), The Living Pool was to be the first venture into organizing an art event from the ground up.

 

Encouraged by the phenomenal response from the funders, participants and visitors, Vladimir and Mila went to organize the second event – The Garden Project. More participating artists, more visitors, more exposure – it all yielded in more energy and will to go even further. The idea of building a Foundation was born.

 

The ever-present self-doubt that every artist is cursed with, commanded the creation of one more event that was to prove that they were on the right track. Living pool 2 was put together even faster and easier, thanks to the positive feedback from the artist that were eager to participate.

 

Armed with their educational and ancestral background and encouraged by the recent successes, Vladimir and Mila decided to set up the Pottage foundation.