Waterways of Amsterdam Canal Tour

Born and raised in Istanbul, Lora Sariaslan went to Knox College in Illinois, where she received her B.A. in Art History and Integrated International Studies, and received her M.A. in Art History from the University of Texas at Austin. Lora is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Amsterdam and working as an independent curator and art historian. She was curator at the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art (Istanbul Modern) and prior to that was curatorial assistant at the Dallas Museum of Art in Texas, USA. She contributes to publications on modern and contemporary art as a member of AICA (International Association of Art Critics) Turkey and as the National Correspondent for the European Museum Forum (EMF) for Turkey.

As a student of visual arts and art teaching in Amsterdam, expressing himself in imagery and defining the symbolism all around us is Thijs's daily business. Thijs lived part of his life on the Caribbean island of Curacao, a former colony of the Netherlands, experience that offers him a unique perspective on Dutch culture. Working with UNESCO world heritage on Curacao, Thijs assisted in public programming and co-created events. More recently, he teaches high school pupils in the subjects of crafts, art-history and drawing, developing skills in creating assignments and active learning. Thijs has also worked as a tour guide for the Amsterdam Monuments Association, indulging a profound interest in, and passion for, the buildings and architecture of Amsterdam, as well as city development from the 17th century until today. He is currently working towards an international Masters in Museology at the Reinwardt Academy, with a focus on community and ethical problems in the field of museums and cultural institutions.

After finishing his studies in the History of Art and Archaeology at the University of Amsterdam in 2002, Sabry pursued a career in the antiquarian book trade, going on to run a fine art bookstore in Amsterdam, whilst also writing, lecturing and teaching about art. Later he dedicated more time to his work as a writer and art historian. Coming from a Jewish background, Sabry was also always interested in the Jewish history of Amsterdam and has thoroughly studied the life and work of Jewish artists living and working in the Netherlands in this century. He is currently writing a book about German Jewish emigree artists in Amsterdam in the interwar years. The work will come out in fall 2016, published by the renowned Jewish publishing house Querido. Sabry also has extensive guiding experience, specialising on the culture of the Low Countries. He expertise has a vast thematic scope that incorporates the art, architecture, literature and cuisine that helped shape the Netherlands as they are today.