flash mob shocks art lovers (VIDEOS)

Flash Mob Tribute to Rembrandt Painting

Flash mobs are a new and popular trend in which a group of people assemble in seemingly random public locations to perform a choreographed dance, or in this case, a performance piece. Dutch shoppers at a mall in Breda, Holland were recently surprised when flash mobbers re-enacted Rembrandt’s famous painting, “The Night Watch.” This painting is one of the most well-known Dutch paintings, famous for its massive size of almost 12 by 15 feet and its revolutionary use of color, light, and motion sense.

The event began with the sounding of a theft alarm, followed by a scene that was certainly nothing less than a theatrical performance. Some of the flash mobbers descended the walls on swinging ropes; others rode in on horses. All actors wore 17th century clothing. The portrayed scene was based on the capturing of a thief, seen running through the balconies of the mall until he was finally caught. The mob finished with everyone posing in the appropriate, Rembrandt-created position, surrounded by a giant frame that magically descended to capture the image.

The Rembrandt re-enactment purposefully coincided with the return of “The Night Watch” to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The museum had been undergoing extensive renovations for the past 10 years.

On The Web:

Dutch flashmob arrive at shopping mall on horses
http://www.itn.co.uk/And%20Finally/72917/dutch-flashmob-arrive-at-shopping-mall-on-horses

Flash Mob Shocks Dutch Shoppers, Enacts “The Night Watch”
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Flash-Mob-Shocks-Dutch-Shoppers-Enacts-The-Night-Watch-343559.shtml

Rembrandt Flash Mob Shocks Dutch Shoppers With Live Action Rendition Of ‘The Night Watch’ (VIDEO)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/05/rembrandt-flash-mob-shocks-the-night-watch_n_3020146.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003