My first impressions as an artist, who has never been to Leewarden and does not speak a word Dutch, was that all the people here are very friendly, relaxed and happy.
When you’re out on the streets, cycling, or jogging around the city to get to know them better, you’re greeted from all sides with a friendly “hoi”. This is very nice and makes it easier to arrive in a foreign country. I am fascinated by the idea that one lives in a community and nobody is responsible only for themselves and is not left alone in case of problems, which is an important basic idea of Iepens Mienskip.
Especially clear was the sense of community during a boat trip to which we were invited a few days ago. It was attended by cultural artists from Slovenia, Poland, Germany and Zimbabwe. We sat together in a small room, ate, drank and talked to each other. To be able to drive under the very low bridges, everyone had to lay flat on the ground, which was very funny, but also caused a sense of spatial tightness and anxiety.
It occurred to me that we are all “in the same boat” and have the same needs and desires. We can not be well if our fellow human beings are in a bad state because everything is connected with everything else. When people drown in the Mediterranean on the run, this also has consequences for our contemplative life, we can not be care less and we have to act.
Inspired by this impression, I will use the theme “we are all in the same boat” for my work in Leeuwarden. In my studio, I began to fold boat-like bodies from rubber and paint them with thin paint. Eventually these bodies will be filled with water from the canals in Leeuwarden, because everything ist connected with everything.
As a result for my 3 weeks stay there will be several objects for the floor area in my studio, as well as some drawings of hulls on the wall.
In addition, I have prepared a video documenting of my daily way from the house in the Pelikaanstraat to my studio in the Tweebaksmarkt in an amusing way.