In BLIK, Hans van Houwelingen gave his vision on the city, analogous to similar presentations. This vision is a mixture of commentary, critique, humor and engagement that can also be read as a correction of the treasured self-image of politics.

Depicted are aspects of the city that are part of its still living history, such as the bombing at the beginning of the Second World War and aspects that determine its place in the present, such as the threat of water, its tourist presentation and the struggle with its own development. The connection between the scenes is, as usual with such a recollection of the past, more speculative than compelling. Similarly, Hans van Houwelingen's recollections are more about the direct experience than the aesthetic distance.

The resources that Hans van Houwelingen uses for this purpose are derived from the idiom of visual arts, advertising, public education and the theme park. Due to the combination of these resources and the interweaving with autobiographical elements, the exhibition BLIK is the testimony of an artistic experience of the city. In its presentation lies a proposal for a reformulation of both the political and artistic models.