I am one of these eleven lucky international artists, who have been invited to come to Leeuwarden for three weeks and do their own project on “Iepen Mienskip“.
“Iepen Mienskip“ is a topic, a challenge, a goal for the future and certainly something that can’t be explored and totally transformed into a piece of art within such a short period of time.
But it is a path for each of us to follow. This is what I have been doing for the last couple of months in preparation to get ready to come here.
With my project here in Leeuwarden I want to invite everyone to follow me on my search for „iepen Mienskip“, exploring the city with its beautiful buildings, trying to take in the atmosphere, meeting people from all over the world, and then riding my bike home through green meadows and charming villages, accompanied by all kinds of birds to be welcomed by my unique host family on the sheep farm.
My exploring tour started in Leeuwarden at the library, a former prison that was remodeled and transformed into a public space, open to people of all ages, nations and diverse religious backgrounds. Isn’t that a good example for „Iepen Mienskip“ in itself?
My journey also takes you to the Oranjewoud Festival, where I met lots of Frisians among other visitors and many other places you might know or might experience differently now that you can see them with my eyes and through my soul.
As an artist I don’t sketch, draw or paint only what I see, but also what I am feeling.
My journey has not ended yet and my work is far from being completed. But doesn’t that match with „Iepen Mienskip“, a call for something that needs to be worked on permanently?
So come and visit my „Work in Progress“ presentation and discover what “Iepen Mienskip“ means to me …
Friederike Willich
