Raemansky

Terneuzen: A Post-Coffeeshop City explores the transformation of a small Dutch city once known for its vibrant nightlife and progressive spirit. Located between the Westerschelde and the Belgian border, Terneuzen thrived when its famous coffeeshop, Checkpoint, became the largest in the Netherlands. However, with the opening of EU borders, the city saw an influx of drug tourists from Belgium and France, boosting the local economy.

The city council embraced this boom, even placing road signs as far as Lille, France. But when Dutch authorities cracked down on Checkpoint for exceeding legal limits, the coffeeshop was shut down, and the council was reprimanded.

This marked the beginning of a decline. Terneuzen’s once lively and open character faded, leaving behind a more closed, stagnant atmosphere. The artwork uses this local story as a metaphor for a broader global shift away from tolerance and openness toward populism and polarization.