Ben Hartman grew up in London and moved to Amsterdam 14 years ago to continue his career as a creative director in advertising and now as an artist. He would like to have talked film with Rutger Hauer, is fascinated by how much the Dutch can carry on a bike and loves the easy way of living in the Netherlands.
How did you end up here?
It was 2010 and I was working as a freelance advertising copywriter in London. Someone I knew was married to the executive director of an agency that was located in Amsterdam. She said some positive things about the work I was producing to her husband and asked if I would fancy a three month gig. That’s how it began and I’m still here.
How do you describe yourself – an expat, lovepat, immigrant, international?One of the reasons why I came over to Amsterdam is because I was single and I could. I’d been working in London for 12 or 13 years and this adventure came along. I think of myself as an expat but, for a while, I described myself as an extended holiday maker or a tourist. That felt right for a long time, it felt like I was just on holiday.
How long do you plan to stay?
I have absolutely no idea. I didn’t have a plan when I initially came to the Netherlands and I didn’t plan on staying. Forces often dictate these things, whether it’s for work or love, but I’m very happy here. The state of Britain at the moment doesn’t necessarily drive me to want to go back. The Netherlands offers a very easy and lovely way of life that I’ve settled into very nicely and enjoy immensely.
Do you speak Dutch and how did you learn?
I don’t speak Dutch. I have to say it’s normally the second question I get when I’m interviewed, but in this one it’s the fourth. I’m usually first asked how long I’ve been in the Netherlands followed by ‘how’s your Dutch?’ Then I have to give one of many excuses.
My best one is that you don’t have to. Everyone, especially in Amsterdam, speaks English, normally as well as you do. When you do try to speak Dutch, I haven’t done this often, but I’ve seen my friends do it, the Dutch just giggle and speak English to you anyway. So unless I get married to a Dutch lady or have kids here who are learning Dutch, there’s a good chance I won’t.
There’s also something nice about not having to take everything in around you. So, if I’m working in a cafe for instance and everyone around me is chatting away in Dutch, I won’t be distracted by everything I can hear. I quite like it as just white noise sometimes.
I don’t feel I’m limited by not speaking Dutch. If that was the case, I’d learn, but I just don’t think there’s the invitation here, especially in Amsterdam. There’s also the reality of being incredibly busy while I’ve been here; working on advertising briefs, later running an agency, and manning my art. Trying to learn a tough language around all that hasn’t been practical.
What’s your favourite Dutch thing?
There are a couple of practical things I enjoy, things like cheap flowers. Then there’s the very nature of the flatness of the place, which means you can just cycle everywhere without it becoming a sweat problem. If you try to do this in London or another place with contours, lots of ups and downs, you just can’t. The flatness means that cycling is the way to get around and it’s what makes life in the Netherlands so fantastic. I think that’s at the heart of it and what’s best about this place.
In terms of the Dutch themselves, I like their confidence. It comes across as directness. When I first arrived, I was struck by how they walk into a room full of new people. They’ll look you straight in the eye, very openly, and introduce themselves to you and everyone else there. They have this very nice, slightly innocent confidence.
They’re open and upfront and there’s a wonderful simplicity to their ways that’s extremely powerful, actually. Maybe it’s because I’m British and there’s that English reserve, but this really has an impact, especially when you first arrive here. I like it very much. It’s not put on and it’s very refreshing.
How Dutch have you become?
I don’t think I’ve become very Dutch. I’ve found the Netherlands to be an easy environment and society to transition into, but I’ve certainly changed while I’ve been here. That’s been in terms of personal development and maturing, as you do as you get older. I still think I have my Englishness and my reserve plus the over politeness and always over apologising for too many things.
I do try to do the same as the Dutch, though, and honour various customs, like the way they introduce themselves. I’ve tried to embrace many of the very lovely aspects of Dutchness like cycling everywhere. I’m very happy with Albert Heijn and I’ve gotten used to the food.
I also love their straightforwardness in business environments. You’re never left wondering where you stand with the Dutch and their tendency toward directness saves a lot of time and reduces the margin for error. I’ve embraced all of those positive Dutch things, but I’m still very much British in my heart and with my ways.
Which three Dutch people (dead or alive) would you most like to meet?
Johan Cruyff. I would love to spend an hour with him and explore his football brain. We could discuss tactics as we move condiments and other items around the table to represent various formations. That would be brilliant. Truth is, I was in his company once. He did lots and lots of things for charity and used to host a ‘Football Day’ for charity. I was lucky enough to go to one. He was such a lovely guy.
Vincent van Gogh. Because of my interest in art, it would great to talk to him and get inside his head to learn more about how he saw the world. That would be fascinating, especially where I am now as I’m just entering the art world. Of course, what I would expect to hear is how complicated of a guy he was and how it effected his work. As someone who had one of the biggest impacts on art in the history of the world and humanity, I’d want to talk with him.
Rutger Hauer. We could talk about Blade Runner or probably just act out the film. I’m sure I would bore him stupid. It’s one of my favourite films and he played one of the greatest characters ever portrayed. He was an extraordinary actor. He could walk into an international film and absolutely boss it. You could argue he was more powerful than Harrison Ford in Blade Runner. Anyway, we could talk about The Hitcher as well, which was scary as hell.
What’s your top tourist tip?
When you’re cycling around, always cross the tram lines at 90 degrees. That’s one of the first things I would advise any tourist, especially if they come to Amsterdam. If you bike over them at even a slight angle, you can get caught.
Much of the beauty of this country comes from how flat it is and the cleverness of enabling everyone to get everywhere by bike. You can find yourself cycling through fields of cows and sheep just 15 minutes out of Amsterdam. So I would say they should get a bike. Do the tourist stuff, and once they’ve done all of those things, they should get on a bike.
Within two or three hours, they can have a completely different Dutch experience without completely overhauling a planned trip. They’ll find themselves in fields and surrounded by some absolutely fabulous countryside. Once they’re out there, they’ll start to truly understand what’s so fantastic about this country.
Tell us something surprising you’ve found out about the Netherlands
The number of things the Dutch can carry on a bicycle. It’s like they’re circus performers, it’s unbelievable. As I’ve said, life here revolves around the bicycle and they’ve become amazing at doing everything by bike. I’ve seen extraordinary things carried on a bike and an extraordinary amount of things carried on a bike. I’ve seen people carry three suitcases, a large plant, a ladder, ladders, tools, everything.
And then there’s the people they can put on a bike and how they travel. You’ll sometimes see two or three kids on a bike with their parents. There will be one on the front, one on the back, and another standing. Health and Safety would have a field day with all of this. I always have my head in my hands. I don’t want to watch. The potential for an accident seems high, but no, they just know how to do it.
If you had just 24 hours left in the Netherlands, what would you do?
I would do what I love doing every day. I would have a cup of coffee down the street and around the corner at Morgan & Mees, in the sun ideally, while watching Amsterdam go by, whether it’s on the canal or by bike. I would do the daily Wordle, of course. That’s always the first thing I do before I check the news. Then I’d do my brainstorming for a brief or a new series for my art.
I would just enjoy what I love most about this place. Having done that, in the afternoon I might go on a bike ride out to Muiderberg with some friends and through the sheep fields. We could have a coffee there on the little beach.
The trip back is always absolutely stunning. We could also do a friendly nine holes of golf out on the countryside. These are the things I love and treasure and the reasons I’m here. I would want to do these things one last time. I think that would be perfect for me.
Ben’s art is currently showing at St-Art Gallery, Amsterdam. Find out more about the exhibition at the St-Art website, and view Ben’s artworks at his website A Stroke of Ben
Ben Hartman was talking to Brandon Hartley.
