The Current State of Affairs in Art in Public Space in Six Themes 40 Years BK-Informatie - Anniversary Edition Art in Public Space 2

40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 1

the current state of affairs in art in public space in six themes 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 2

EDITORIAL COLOPHON how to give meaning

What is the current state of affairs in art in public space in the BK-informatie professional magazine for visual artists Netherlands? special anniversary edition- March 2021 Chief editors and copy editing: Xandra Nibbeling and Esther Didden That was the main question posed during of commissioning and what role residents Design: Kamiel Verschuren the anniversary symposium Art in Public and other members of the public may play Texts: Esther Didden, Annemiek van Grondel, Eline van der Space, organized by BK-informatie, a pro- in this. Annemiek van Grondel immersed Haak, Lieneke Hulshof, Machteld Leij, Xandra Nibbeling,Vincent fessional magazine for visual artists. herself in the conversation that Arno van van Velsen and Sabine Winters Roosmalen initiated, in which he investigated English translations: Rachel Bacon We invited six experts to initiate a discus- how we can think in a speculative way about Print: Veldhuis Media sion on a topic they are involved with in the future of art and public space. their own practice. They in turn invited Lieneke Hulshof followed the group brought Edition: 7.000 a few guests to join them for round table together by Rogier Brom, researcher at the discussions to research and delve into the Boekmanstichting, on the question of dif- anniversary project subject even further. We then invited six ferent responsibilities concerning art in public Project leader: Esther Didden writers to report on those discussions, each space. Finally, Sabine Winters recorded how Communication: Ingrid Fijen in their own way. the group gathered around art critic Joke Production: Laura Abbink de Wolf examined how it might be useful Eline van der Haak joined the discussions and necessary for art in public space to make Campaign #watdoetdathier: Grafi celly, Elly de Knikker and Key Tengeler that Liesbeth Jans of Kunstloc Brabant trouble. organized on the question of whether new Design/Website sleutelwerken.nl: Buro Ponzo mediators are needed. The fi eld in which We look back with pleasure on an interest- Foundation BK-informatie: Cathy Jacob (chair), Klaas Hoekstra art commissions are granted has changed ing and versatile symposium that was able (treasurer) and Sandra Smets (secretary) a great deal. What are the consequences of to take place in spite of all the coronavirus Selection committee sleutelwerken: Sacha Bronwasser (chair), Annet Zondervan (CBK Zuidoost), Mieke Conijn (Kunstenlab), these changes? Vincent van Velsen refl ected restrictions. This is refl ected in this special Selby Gildemacher (Piek!), Hermelinde van Xanten (Kunstloc on the conversations led by Rinske Hordijk edition of BK-informatie, which we see as Brabant), Siebe Thissen (CBK Rotterdam), Simone Vermaat (Rijks- dienst Cultureel Erfgoed), Monica Boekholt (Buro de Maten) and and Suzanne Sanders of the municipality an archival edition that gathers together Sandra Smets (on behalf of foundation BK-informatie). of Utrecht on the question of the power of a diversity of views on the current state of Chairs of the panel sessions: Liesbeth Jans (Kunstloc Brabant), (new) monuments in our society: what are affairs in art in public space in 2021. Rogier Brom (Boekmanstichting), Joke de Wolf (art critic/writer), the different positions and considerations Jeroen Boomgaard (LAPS –Rietveld Academie), Arno van Roosmalen, Rinske Hordijk (municipality of Utrecht) and Suzanne Sanders when placing and developing new monu- Enjoy reading! (municipality of Utrecht). ments? Machteld Leij described the conver- On behalf of the board, editorial staff and the Thanks to sation that Jeroen Boomgaard, lecturer Art anniversary project group of BK-informatie. Mondriaan Fonds, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, BNG Cultuur- in Public Space, engaged in on other forms fonds, Kunstloc Brabant, province of Flevoland, province of Drenthe, LAPS – Rietveld Academie, province of Gelderland, Iona, Kunsten- lab, Boekmanstichting, CBK Zuidoost, CBK Rotterdam, Rijks- dienst Cultureel Erfgoed and the municipality of Utrecht.

We would also like to thank everyone who has nominated a work of art for the selection of key works (sleutelwerken), everyone who has added a work of art to the sleutelwerken.nl website, and ... Key works (Sleutelwerken) are works of art that are or have been of artistic, everyone who purchased a ticket to attend the symposium. historical, spatial or social importance. Key works represent a zeitgeist; that is, © Rotterdam, March 2021 they exemplify a particular period in the history of art in public space. You can decide to become The content has been collected and verifi ed with the greatest possible care. The publisher assumes no responsibility for incor- an active participant Even though they may have contributed to awareness around a topic and are rect entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced and/ or made public by means of book publishing, photocopy, micro- of a society included in what we call the “collective memory”, many key works have also fi lms or any other medium whatsoever without prior permission from the publisher. The copyright of works by visual artists affi - by giving meaning caused controversy, and have clear supporters and opponents. ... liated with a CISAC organization has been arranged with Picto- right in Amsterdam. © c/o Pictoright Amsterdam 2021. to your environment This special edition is a publication of the foundation BK-informatie and was included with BK-informatie #2, 2021 as a report on the anniversary symposium Art in Public Space that took place on January 20th, 2021. This English version can be found at BKinformatie.nl 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 3

INTRODUCTION how to give meaning Esther Didden Recently I read the book Wanderlust: art and understand that both have a right to I would now add that there are major dif- A History of Walking by cultural historian exist. We created the sleutelwerken.nl web- ferences between participants and outsi- Rebecca Solnit. A book in which she reveals site on which there are 100 works of art ders in society and that art in public space the inextricable relationship between walking, worth visiting, with hundreds more works infallibly reveals this. thinking and looking. Walking is a popular of art that have been added subsequently. activity, especially since the coronavirus In the Netherlands you don’t have to travel The anniversary project ended a little later has been sweeping through the world. or walk far to encounter a work of art. than expected due to the coronavirus mea- After all, it is an activity that we can do This can be a spontaneous meeting, but you sures; we concluded in January 2021 with an outside in a fairly carefree manner. And can also actively go out to view a work of online symposium. The insights we gained while you walk you have the chance to ob- art in real life after discovering it online. by selecting the key works (sleutelwerken) serve. The sleutelwerken.nl website is both data- and #watdoetdathier formed the basis for base and travel guide. compiling the symposium program. What appealed to me, among other things, The questions underlying this entire anni- is her interpretation of German artist Joseph In the Netherlands versary project - What can art in public Beuys’ statement: Jeder Mensch ein Künstler you don’t have to space mean for the future? What is the im- (Everyone is an artist). Solnit initially thinks portance of this art? What does this tell us that Beuys meant that everyone should make travel or walk far art, but while walking she comes to the to encounter What realization that Beuys is mainly talking a work of art can art in public space about the choice you have as a person: you mean for the future? can decide to become a participant in society Giving meaning is a cultural practice artists by giving meaning to your environment. are familiar with. Beuys does not refer to What This requires an active inquisitive attitude artistic practice without reason. Giving is the importance and an open gaze. This is in contrast to be- meaning to an environment is what artists of this art? ing a consumer of your environment: with who work in public space constantly do, in your arms crossed you look around with a all kinds of different ways. It leads to works about the time and place we live in? – were judgmental attitude. What is that doing here? of art that are recognized as such, but also discussed during the symposium and this led What does that cost? You choose to take the to works of art that are much less explicit. to recommendations for the future of art in position of an outsider and not a participant. The #watdoetdathier (whatdoesthatdohere) public space and the role that BK-informatie Solnit sees the public character of the street campaign that we launched during the can play in this. More on this subject will (or a park, square, country road) as an ex- summer of 2020 referred, without us reali- be published in the near future. cellent opportunity to give meaning, it is zing it, to Solnit’s ‘outsider’, to someone who after all the place where you can meet ordi- watches at a distance and forms their own For now, an extensive look back in this nary people, speak freely and discover the opinion. What an artist meant with a work special edition of BK-informatie. We are far world. Even if you believe that a certain en- of art can be the starting point for residents’ from ﬁ nished with art in public space, in fact vironment is already known to you. initial attachment to a work. However, in we will continue to give meaning to this the longer term, the work will have to rely discipline in our own unique way. With an You can decide to become on its own (visual) strength. We were inte- active, curious attitude and an open gaze. an active participant rested in precisely that phase, when the artist’s story has faded into the background or even Esther Didden works as freelancer in the arts of a society been forgotten. and (public) philosophy and is project leader of the BK-informatie anniversary year. by giving meaning At that moment you can ask the question to your environment ‘How was the work of art received here in society?’. With these questions in mind, we As I read this book, the BK-informatie anni- started the campaign on social media and versary project was constantly resonating in door-to-door newspapers. It will come in my head. Art in public space was central as no surprise that one of the conclusions throughout 2020; works of art in streets, is that what the so-called art discourse con- squares, parks, along highways. How many siders good art is by no means always em- works of art in public space will have been braced by local residents and vice versa. ‘discovered’ by passers-by in the past year? The people Solnit describes as participants There are major differences between are actually the ideal audience for art in participants and outsiders in a society, public space. These people appreciate both a beautiful forest and a beautiful work of art in public space reveals this awlessly 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 4

100 KEY WORKS/100 SLEUTELWERKEN data base NL (1947 - 1999) 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 5

special nominations - Wim T. Schippers, TV-works, 1967-present - Teun Jacob & Kees Verschuren, untitled, 1979 1st Maasvlakte (Rotterdam) - various artists, Stadsmarkeringen, 1990 Groningen - D. Tirzo Martha, untitled (installation at Klinika Capriles), 2016 Willemstad Curaçao - various artists, Murals, 2016 Heerlen 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 6 SYMPOSIUM the role of the mediator in art in public space Eline van der Haak

panel sesssion The importance of art in public space or art as a solution to cer- Are new mediators needed? tain social problems is not self-evident and not always recognized. chair In the panel sessions led by Liesbeth Jans, this issue kept pop- Liesbeth Jans (advisor Kunst & Samen- ping up. The starting point for the discussions was the question leving, Kunstloc Brabant) of whether new mediators are needed, because the ﬁ eld in which panel member art commissions are awarded has changed a lot in recent years. Véronique Baar (QKunst) An important difference is that other sectors, such as healthcare Meike Veldhuijsen (KOP) Sjaak Langenberg (visual artist) and welfare, have also started to play an important role. Anne Wenzel (visual artist) Not only do municipalities ask for a work to be made for a parti- Matthijs Bosman (visual artist) Jacqueline Moors (Blom&Moors) cular location, artists are also asked to contribute ideas on social Sandra Smets (art historian, journalist) issues in the community. Although this is a positive impulse for interesting new projects and collaborations, it is also often dif- ﬁ cult as people think from within their own disciplines and do not always understand each other.

Liesbeth Jans raises the question ‘Are new Bridge builder mediators needed?’. Existing structures During the discussion different experiences sistence and perseverance. A diffi cult (new) through which art commissions in public emerge from the participating artists. element is that the mediator actually has space were previously instigated have Anne Wenzel, for example, mentions that to think and network much more broadly, largely disappeared, and the way in which there is hardly any expertise available at beyond simply the art sector. Within a muni- a commission is granted to an artist has various municipalities when it comes to cipality, for example, a budget can some- also changed. Artists are increasingly in- art in public space. There is no one present times be made available from other sources, volved in social issues that concern both who as a mediator tackles practical aspects but there needs to be insight into this. the physical and the social environment. and deals with problems, so that all kinds There has been a shift from creating a phy- of responsibilities fall to the artist. Finding a good balance sical object to thinking about issues that Sjaak Langenberg is experiencing an in- affect us all, such as health, the climate chal- teresting development now that he is also between the client’s wishes lenge or mobility. The importance of artists’ dealing with other types of clients, such and the artist’s autonomy creative thinking power in innovation is as healthcare institutions. Because there increasingly recognized. This means that is no longer a traditional art commission, During this panel session all the partici- other fi elds are also getting involved in the conversation with the client is conduc- pants have an art background and there- thinking about commissions for artists, ted on a different level, and a project with fore the conversation may also not reach such as healthcare and welfare as well as a greater social impact emerges. It requires enough of a meta-level. There are many op- spatial planning. a different type of mediator. Someone with portunities in the fi eld of art in public space a background in healthcare who under- stemming from, for example, the redeve- stands the language of healthcare can be lopment of the Netherlands. New clients of added value in such a process. should be found and younger generations The importance of art in public space is not always recognized should be more involved in mediation. It Challenges for mediators is a very specifi c subject that is currently For the mediators at the table, such as not offered in art education. There should Véronique Baar of Qkunst and Meike Veld- be a system in which the visibility of the huijsen of KOP, it is always a challenge to process is increased and knowledge can fi nd a good balance between the client’s be transferred. More visibility ensures wishes and the artist’s autonomy and free- more support and the development of the dom. A client’s wishes can be unclear and profession itself. there is often a tight budget. Although the outside world usually has no idea of the Room for the creative process role of a mediator, because it is often invi- In the second (closed) panel discussion, the sible, it is a complex and particularly ur- fl uid nature of mediation is addressed again

Re-defi ning Balance (as a matter of fact), , Re-defi Anne Wenzel Public Courthouse Zwolle 2016 photo John Stoel) gent task. It takes a lot of knowledge, per- and the term itself is also discussed. 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 7 , Rokin Amsterdam 2018, Dewar & Giquel , (mosaics) Rokin Amsterdam supervised by QKunst (photo Gert-Jan van Rooij) Matthijs Bosman , on tour with Superland 2019 (photo Sasha Ivantic) bute to underlining the importance of art Younger generations in public space and how it can combine should be more involved in mediation with and relate to other sectors. New mediators, to continue using this name, Jacqueline Moors, for example, states that mediation being implemented. This can can emerge, for example, by creating a mas- as a designer she has had various roles, quickly lead to a compromise, where indivi- ter’s program for them. This symposium sometimes more as a designer or artist, and duality and authenticity are in danger of is a way to make the problem known. at other times more as a mediator. Her ex- being sacrifi ced. Further steps are needed to fi nd solutions, Finding a good balance perience is that the formal world thinks in and above all, the fi ght must continue for terms of results and goals to be achieved, Mediation as means the self-evidence of art in all areas in our between the client’s wishes while the creative process requires space A new name for mediator is being consi- society. In fact, mediation as a method is and the artist’s autonomy to fi nd a more open way of approaching a dered, with artistic leader cited as one of still badly needed for this. commission. Anne Wenzel also emphasizes the possibilities; this might exist in tandem that a work of art is never unambiguous, with a project manager and a matchmaker while a client often wants to know precisely and with certainty that its meaning Eline van der Haak studied Algemene Cultuur- will be properly understood. Fear can get The term mediator wetenschappen at the VU in Amsterdam. in the way of the process. Art critic Sandra suggests that Thereafter she began writing about contemporary Smets therefore proposes that the entire there is a problem art for various blogs. She currently writes for process should be written out for a client, Metropolis M, Mister Motley and weekly news- in which various phases are identifi ed. that cannot be solved paper Den Haag Centraal. By explaining how this works, more mental without mediation space and freedom is created. In that case a mediator is, as it were, the interpreter at who links projects and artists. Véronique the table between the various parties. Baar emphasizes that this might be possi- Visual artist Matthijs Bosman would like ble for larger projects, but often not for

to turn the situation around, so that the smaller ones. Anne Wenzel mentions that Social Sports school , artist comes up with an idea rather than this is only possible when, for example, being commissioned. The artist then choos- municipalities understand that these roles/ es a mediator who ensures that other sec- people are necessary for the implementa- tors are involved and that implementation tion of a project. She argues for clear, un- becomes possible. According to him, artists ambiguous structures that can be written should be involved as a matter of course out in step-by-step plans or guidelines, in transition projects. He also points out which also include the various functions that the term mediator has a certain nega- required. But there is also no national tive connotation. It suggests that there is body that can take the initiative for this. national platform 2016 - 2021 (photo Ben Nienhuis) a problem that cannot be solved without Such an organization could also contri- Sjaak Langenberg & Rosé de Beer , 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 8 SYMPOSIUM the road to Rome possibilities for monuments Vincent van Velsen

panel sesssion It is probably the most important question when it comes to pu- What is the power of (new) monuments in blic space: who occupies the space? On the one hand, this ques- our society? tion speaks to its most literal meaning. Who is present in the pu- chairs blic space of a built and shared environment? On the other hand, Rinske Hordijk (Cultural Affairs, municipality of Utrecht) it is about being able to be symbolically present within society Suzanne Sanders (member of the advisory or an urban environment such as Utrecht. That is also what the committee for Visual Arts and Design, muni- panel was concerned with: the power of (new) monuments in our cipality of Utrecht) society. Beyond all questions about affordable housing and forms panel members of socio-economic diversity within a city – which are indeed Simon(e) van Saarloos (philosopher, author) Leroy Lucas (chair Keti Koti, Utrecht) urgent and relevant – we look here at the broadest form of repre- Annet Zondervan (director CBK Zuidoost) sentation within the city. Based on the question of the power of Joke de Wolf (journalist, art critic) (new) monuments in our society, various positions and consider- Domenique Himmelsbach de Vries (visual artist) ations that arise when it comes to placing and developing new monuments were discussed. This covered symbolism as well as the commissioning process and engaged citizenship, but the pos- sibility of an (absence of) form was also considered.

Rinske Hordijk and Suzanne Sanders went Good intentions in search of the power of (new) monuments In the coming time, three new monuments “The road to hell is paved with good inten- in our society. In the coming years, the will be added to the public space in Utrecht: tions”, as the grandmother of Leroy Lucas, municipality of Utrecht is committed to a tribute to the ‘guest worker’, a monument activist and chair of Keti Koti Utrecht used realizing three monuments that have partly concerning the history of slavery and a to tell him. That is how the development of Should a work of art come about at the request of the community. monument to the young female member the Anton de Kom monument in Amster- The increasing demand for new monuments of the resistance, Truus van Lier. They must dam Zuidoost is remembered. Though the lay claim to a and the critical attitude towards existing become monuments “in the broadest sense nuances and precise state of affairs has direct physical presence? statues of historical, colonial fi gures, re- of the word”, they must refl ect on the de- faded over the years and only the image quires new approaches. mographic diversity of the city and our remains: an Anton de Kom, constructed What can the power of new monuments (social) history. The bar is set high for these from wood instead of the stately activist, be in our society? How do we think about projects; because the zeitgeist calls for mo- writer, and revolutionary that he was, al- contemporary monuments? What works? numents that are more than just a man on ways in a three-piece suit. The slavery How can new monuments better refl ect a plinth. Many people were involved in monument in Utrecht must do this differ- society? Are we stuck in certain strict these historic events, played roles, were ently, just as now the Mandela monument standards of quality and visual language? present and made contributions. And now in Amsterdam Zuidoost will not portray How can we let go of them or at least tho- the realization has come that a monument the person but the ideology. Initiated by roughly question them? in the form of an individual is no longer CBK Zuidoost and designed by South suffi cient to express this complexity, and African artist Mohau Modisakeng, it will that a personifi cation of a momentous his- also be a gathering place, created after torical period is no longer relevant. consultation with local residents and art A monument is supposed to do more and lovers – and some who were both. The work to be more: a symbolic representation of not only addresses the issue of “for whom?, an event that can also provide solidarity but also addresses “by whom?”. Some- in the present time, preferably as a place thing along these lines must also happen of gathering or intervention that will also with the process of the monument to the add something to public space and to so- history of slavery. A place where on the ciety in the future. fi rst of July you can have a formal moment of refl ection, or party, at the commemo- The zeitgeist ration and celebration of abolition. In Amsterdam’s Oosterpark, the monument calls for monuments for the history of slavery designed by Erwin that are more than de Vries is a marker of presence. A recogni- a man on a plinth tion of history. And a place that gives value

, National Monument History of Slavery, Erwin de Vries 2002 Oosterpark Amsterdam to the community: it shows that this (their) 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 9

history matters: enough to gain a perma- 2019). In the essay, more traditional forms their value in the present of the future? As nent presence in Dutch public space. The of showing respect and recognition are if the monument were our favorite song, monument in Utrecht will also fulfi ll that questioned and Van Saarloos discusses the which will be replaced next year with an- function. embodiment of a history beyond physical other favorite that may recall a past love or manifestations; about (collective) rituals, a precious moment. A number that some- Marking and presence institutions and institutionalization. times returns, but does not always have to Marking space is what artist Domenique Moments that are forcibly commemorated be there. The memory that is only activated Himmelsbach de Vries does with his Paper and experienced together in order to create when it unexpectedly plays on the radio. Monument for the Paperless. A project that meaning and value. Van Saarloos questions Or could it be a non-nationalistic anthem makes anonymous portraits of stateless this ‘language’ and respect for certain forms for people that brings people together and migrants visible. For the artist this is a way of commemoration. gives pleasure? of showing solidarity, but also of making a political statement, making these people How is a monument Can we settle symbolically present, as opposed to their for forms invisibility in bureaucratic and everyday to be kept alive life. The idea that they do not exist, because and does it that won’t be they are not registered, interacts with the retain relevance there forever? idea that they cannot be physically visible, because it makes them vulnerable to the in the present As always, the panel raised more questions police and IND (Immigration and Natura- of the future? than answers, that can best be understood lisation Service). The artist himself runs as considerations to take forward and refl ect the risk for them and can use his privilege It can also be done differently on as to how a common future can take to work for a good cause. He serves their It is also about the accessibility of an environ- shape, both in physical manifestations and (in)visibility and makes citizens aware of ment, as fundamental as the accessibility shared thought. The answers are never un- the existence of their fellow human beings, of a sidewalk for someone in a wheelchair, ambiguous. Some roads lead to hell, but who, according to the artist, are often por- or the height of a curb for someone with many also to Rome. trayed negatively in the news or are com- walking diffi culties. The choice of paving pletely disregarded. stones that may cause problems when it comes to accessibility. The thing that every- Should a work of art one who is not bothered by it has no eye for, and simply keeps walking. For others lay claim to a they are great barriers. Or should it be pre- direct physical presence? cisely those barriers, like stumbling stones that make you aware every day of the his- More than physical presence tory that lies at your feet? Or can we also Vincent van Velsen is a freelance writer and cu- But beyond marking and presence, there is accept transience and temporality? Can we rator with a background in art and architectural the question of whether this more traditio- settle for forms that won’t be there forever, history. He is a member of the Stadscuratorium nal form is still the way to go. Should a or can change shape continuously until they Amsterdam, board member at De Appel and work of art lay claim to a direct physical are unrecognizable, but that will retain contributing editor at Metropolis M. presence? Or can a work of art be a community center in a neighborhood where social facilities have been cut back and the houses are too small for the number of people that have to live there? Could it be tutor- ing, language lessons or a fund for students who otherwise cannot afford it? It adds something else to the shared space; it is maybe temporary, but also has a social impact - possibly more than that of an artwork that is taken for granted twenty years later and no longer impacts our daily consciousness. Because how is a monument kept alive and how does it retain relevance in the present of the future? Should the mark made be material; and how can it be more, become more, do more?

These are also the questions that philosopher and author Simon(e) van Saarloos de-

scribes in Herdenken Herdacht (Prometheus, , Paper Monument for the Paperless, Domenique Himmelsbach de Vries 2016 - ... NDSM Amsterdam 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 10 SYMPOSIUM alternative forms of commissioning Machteld Leij

panel sesssion The government, traditionally the main client and instigator of Alternative forms of commissioning art in commissions of art in public space, has increasingly faded into the public space. background in recent years. The focus is shifting to other clients: chair articulate citizens who demand to have more of a say, private Jeroen Boomgaard (Lector Art in Public Space – Rietveld Academie) clients and arts organizations who instigate commissions. There are market forces at play, and other forms of art arising panel members in the public domain than the proverbial sculpture on a plinth. Birthe Leemeijer (visual artist) Liesbeth Bik (visual artist) A generous commissioning situation makes a lot possible, says Ella Derksen (Embedded Art) Jeroen Boomgaard. Public space should be seen as borrowed, not Theo Tegelaers (TAAK) Radna Rumping (curator) owned, he believes. Yin Aiwen (visual artist)

Jeroen Boomgaard wanted to look for al- Alternative commissioning Changes in art practice ternative forms of commissioning: is it not There is a long tradition of participatory Art in public space itself has also changed. precisely those who are most affected - the art, in which you have to be aware of such It is not always about tangible objects, but residents and members of the public - who questions as: what is the agenda behind it, about processes, encounters, an experience, ought to be responsible for the realization who owns the question to which an art pro- collaboration, altering a landscape for ex- of art in public space? The method of gene- ject could be the answer? If art is seen as ample, or a research trajectory with an un- rating engagement by asking residents to a means of solving or alleviating social in- certain outcome. The process, but also the vote on a number of different proposals is justices, then it is an improper use by govern- artwork can be transitory, with only stories very problematic for many reasons. ments, who want to shift their own respon- at the end, while initiators and curators or The resident as the one who does the com- sibility onto the artists. It is always impor- institutions go on with other matters. missioning seems to be a good way to give tant to formulate the question as to why Yin Aiwen wants to use the Common.Art artworks an accepted and valued place in there should be a work of art, explains platform to capture the dynamics of an art- a community. What does this mean for art Tegelaers of commission agency TAAK, work-as-temporary-project and make it in public space and how do you ensure that and what this work of art represents. longer-lasting. To this end, user care for a it leads to a feeling of having greater control project should be an ingrained part of the over daily life among residents, as well as Generous commissioning start-up process. Understanding, commit- a commission for an artist that is also a high- ment, also in the long term, are important. quality contribution to the public domain? situations And at a certain point the artist must be make a lot possible able to take a step back and hand over the project. The client, contractor and target Government construction projects were pro- group should ideally remain in close, long- vided with visual art thanks to a percentage term contact with each other during all steps regulation, whereby a certain percentage of of the process. the construction budget was reserved for public art. That arrangement has been cut back. It only exists nationally, and is used Site-sensitive sporadically or not at all by municipalities. Artists Liesbeth Bik (from Bik Van der Pol) The new commissioning situation is more and Birthe Leemeijer sketch how they in- diffuse, the process often takes years. vest in time, dedication and research when Commissioning has changed, since the cut- working on an artwork or project. Duo Bik backs by State Secretary Halbe Zijlstra there Van der Pol developed - at the invitation are fewer assignments, says Tegelaers. of Public Knowledge, an initiative of the Government has taken a step back, know- museum SF MOMA and the libraries of ledge and experience has slowly disappear- San Francisco - the project Take Part - Is ed. More often now there are private clients, there Room for San Francisco in San Fran- and art organizations who do the commis- cisco, which ran from 2018 to 2020. In ad- sioning. It is often residents, and the users dition to lending books, libraries in San of an outdoor space themselves who make Francisco also have an important social their voices heard, who need to be involved function. The project was intended to coun- and informed. terbalance the rapid technological develop- If art is seen as a means of solving social injustices, is it then an improper use by governments? , Park Vliegbasis Soesterberg Anno Dijkstra , Reconstruction 0 Park Vliegbasis Soesterberg (opening Embedded Art) 2015 (photo Liliane Geerling) 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 11

ments and gentrifi cation of the city. In the Staying Power tiators and the public. They share this care preliminary research, an architectural his- Ella Derksen also sees that staying power with passersby and with clients in order to torian pointed to the existence of a scale is needed, however that does not always make a project a success. The aim of her pro- model of the city; made in the 1930s as part guarantee a positive outcome. For ten years ject is to give the residents of Shanghai a of Roosevelt’s New Deal. The model had been she worked on a multi-year art plan for voice. She notes the process is precarious; gathering dust for decades. Volunteers clean- Park Vliegbasis Soesterberg, now owned by care and attention are required. ed it, and the artists went looking for a place Utrechts Landschap and on the territory of in the city where it could be exhibited. the municipalities of Zeist and Soest. That Failure and success is Bik Van der Pol’s work is site-sensitive: they turned out to be diffi cult. Ownership of the no longer about delivery, seek dialogue, cooperation, as outsiders they site changed hands in those years from de- appeal to the public’s own knowledge, ulti- fense ministry to province to nature organi- but about successful mately increasing it. In this way a plan de- zation. Over time, a collection of temporary collaboration velops, resulting in a multifaceted, social and permanent works of art was realized, project that measures the present against with the aim of continuing further. Because The artist as researcher the yardstick of the past and brings about this ultimately did not get off the ground, Today’s art projects in public space are long- a deepening of contemporary existence in the remaining works of art are now some- term projects with many interested parties, a changing urban environment. what lost. The complex ownership of the it is no longer a matter of course that the land, changing participants, different stake- client is the government, but more often a Landscape as client holders with different wishes made it too foundation, an art institution, a biennial Staying power, and the patience and desire complicated, also fi nancially, to implement organization. The mediator must be better to involve people, to make them co-owners a consistent continuation on top of the hu- informed about municipal and regional of the work, also plays a role for Birthe Lee- mus layer that had been built up during all political processes than the average public meijer. At the invitation of Kunststichting those years. In the end, ten years turned out administrator. The artist in public space is Sint-Oedenrode, she developed the work to be too short for this complex process to no longer a sculptor, but a researcher who, Leestekens in het landschape (Punctuation be successful. Even more time, but also ad- in addition to visual thinking, must also marks in the landscape): she regarded the ministrative direction, in such a complex have sociological, historical and organiza- landscape as the client. As a result, the Hooi- situation is needed. tional DNA. Listening and providing a plat- brug (hay bridge) has become a path on which the landscape is not disrupted. The artist in public space is no longer a sculptor, The ramshackle shelter full of bird nests but a researcher was not removed as intended, but restored with the help of local residents. Their hand- The care for an art project is paramount, form are important in a complex, politicized ling of the material was the handwriting says Yin Aiwen, who is involved in a project environment with institutions and organi- that was made visible. Leemeijer saw com- for the Shanghai Biennale. The Commons. zations that do not always have the tools to mitment and a sense of responsibility from Art platform examines how art over the long keep a project running over a long period of which she could realize her work. term can be supported by institutions, ini- time. Knowledge of processes is important, as is the notion that care is an important, basic part of making an art project successful, especially in the long term. Involved parties should be co-owners and as stake- holders take part in the realization and responsibility for the long term. Artists who now work in public space assume a role that resembles that of psychologist and human whisperer. Failure and success is no longer about delivery of a work or project, but about successful collaboration, from administra- tive body to the public.

Machteld Leij, art historian, writes about contemporary visual art in various magazines. Take Part, Public Knowledge, San Francisco Museum of der Pol , Take Bik Van Modern Art/San Francisco Public Library 2018-2020 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 12 SYMPOSIUM growth and limits of art in public space Annemiek van Grondel

panel sesssion What is the state of art in public space, and what comes next? How can we reﬂ ect in a speculative way on A legitimate question for BK-informatie’s anniversary symposium. the future of art and public space? Arno van Roosmalen took up the gauntlet, albeit with a proviso: chair “How can we think in a speculative way about the future of art Arno van Roosmalen and public space?” By exchanging ‘in’ for ‘and’, he broadened the panel members research question. Because the socially critical component of art Quinsy Gario (visual artist) is of vital importance. If we leave the negative connotation of the Sissel Marie Tonn (visual artist) Risk Hazekamp (visual artist) word to one side, then ‘speculating’ in this sense means dreaming Lennard Dost (curator, advisor) about what art can do. Speculating about powerful art that is Pendar Nabipour (visual artist) both activist and activating. Urgent art that encourages thinking about and building a better society. Van Roosmalen rattles the gates of governments and the institutions where he until recently held authoritative positions. He takes a critical look at himself when, as the former director of Stroom Den Haag, he steps aside and argues for a central role for art and artist. He wishes for new Arno van Roosmalen raises the question: ‘How can we think in a speculative way perspectives in a sector that is struggling with crumbling infra- about the future of art and public space?’ structure and expertise: “The SKOR, what was that again?” In his view, the contemporary practice of project proposals, participation processes Before art in the public space “freezes into socially approved folk- and a central commissioning body shows lore”, the whole darned thing needs to be shaken up. The sector is signs of wear and tear; the discourse has in danger of losing sight of what is important to society. consisted of the same people and methods for years. If you really want to think about art in public space and the future, you will The sector have to break free from all existing struc- is in danger of losing sight tures and current artistic practices. of what is important The guests that Van Roosmalen invited pre- sented projects or artistic practices that could to society refer to the future. Call the work of the artists he brought together the result of a de- dicated tenacity. Although each of them follows their own path, Quinsy Gario, Risk Hazekamp and Sissel Marie Tonn are charac- terized by their research, commitment and activism. With an ideal: give mankind a well-intentioned push in the right direction. In short, through inspiration. After the symposium, an extra (private) online debate was planned, in which Pendar Nabipour, among others, also took part. Memo- rable ideas, images and panoramas rained down in both sessions. Whether the layered work and challenging ideas of these makers will inspire others and change (the view) of art in public space is speculative. But the impetus has been given for the ﬁ rst act.

The we feeling Risk Hazekamp is engaged in bio-based art earth possible. With this, Hazekamp works and design, identity and the concept of the on light-sensitive ecosystems that realize more than human. In the project Unlearning ‘breathable photographic images’, as an Photography, the visual artist investigates alternative to ‘toxic’ analog photography. cyanobacteria: billion-year-old oxygen- Not only are analog photographic processes producing organisms that make our life on harmful to the environment, the concept, Sissel Marie Tonn (with Jonathan Reus/Stella Dekker) , Sissel Marie Tonn The Intimate Earthquake Archive , 2016 - … 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 13

formed by and used in colonial, racist prac- certain rules of their own for their com- tralized and lose meaning at the hands of tices, also exudes toxicity. Nowadays cyano- munity. He also signals short-sightedness: an institution? “Is public space also becom- bacteria are often (incorrectly) referred to “Rutte’s motto is: ‘Be Normal’. Can’t he take ing institutionalized?” Art in public space as blue-green algae. Hazekamp investigates it down a notch, considering the benefi ts can be destroyed by anyone who comes into why they have changed from life source into scandal now and the VOC in the past? contact with it, says Nabipour. “It is unpre- threat, and how they are related to our colo- If something that deviates from the norm is dictable. That also speaks to the vulnera- nial thinking and acting. not accepted, you can never go any further.” bility.” Gario points to the ideas of Sylvia Winter and Denice Ferreira da Silva, which All aspects The importance of imagination questions us humans with our racially con- Someone who persistently questions norms structed norms. Do we really want to be of art in public space and values is performance artist, writer and part of this species, he wonders. But who do are interrelated self-proclaimed troublemaker Quinsy Gario. you exclude if you want to set a new stan- His project Zwarte Piet is Racism arose out dard because of a failing system? Open-mindedness and scrutiny of our know- of indignation at the prejudiced way in ledge and production are necessary in order which he, a black cisgender man, and his Can we use to more responsibly deal with the use of work are viewed. In public space, he enters materials and entitlement to raw materials. into a conversation about diversity, inclu- a different language This also applies to art in public space: sivity and our colonial past. The theme in public space after all, all aspects of it are interrelated. became political and urgent. The numerous other than the speci c one This ‘decolonial praxis’, as Hazekamp calls discussions and consultation meetings led it, reactivates forgotten or lost knowledge to his recent nomination as a candidate for that is embedded and embraces the ‘more than human’. participation in the Dutch House of Repre- in the institutional context? An example is Scape Agency’s Terratics pro- sentatives on behalf of the political party ject, made of purifying materials that are BIJ1. According to him, artists who want Anyone who questions hegemony and esta- biodegraded by the elements. Also mentio- to realize the invisible and unpredictable blished norms is in a diffi cult position. ned is Rolando Vázquez, who in Vistas of are desperately needed in a country where Hazekamp: “Can I show my work in an in- Modernity - decolonial aesthesis and the “decisions are made on the basis of scarcity; stitution that does not represent me?” The end of the contemporary explains why he scarcity of imagination and of knowledge visual artist in no way wants to construct a writes in the ‘we-form’, away from the ‘I’ of the past and present”. Regarding art in new standard: “It has to be at a different which stands for possessiveness and indivi- public space, he believes that the idea of level. And that is diffi cult.” And what lan- duality. Such a plural voice has an eye for ‘public’ must be questioned, at a time when guage do you speak as an artist? Can we, the community that produces everything our private domain is being used for public Van Roosmalen asks, use a different langu- from language to our ideas and concepts. debate. age in public space other than the specifi c

The other attendees also convey that we-feel- Artists who want to realize the invisible and ing. For example, the Iranian visual artist unpredictable are desperately needed Pendar Nabipour shares knowledge in his social design project Open Source Gover- Sissel Marie Tonn is also looking for ways one that is embedded in the institutional nance, with the aim of a more inclusive and to initiate social debate about power. In her context? Idioms and communication are fairer society. His algorithms challenge ex- work knowledge and sensory perception related, Gario believes. “Is the language isting governance systems and create alter- merge. The inspiration for her Intimate Earth- we use in public space a renegotiation of native legislation that allows people to set quake Archive was the denial by the Neder- our values and norms or does it reassert landse Aardolie Maatschappij, the Dutch already fossilized patterns? Public space company responsible for gas production and becomes an arena for debate. It can become the government of the earthquakes caused dangerous if the language in it goes against by gas extraction in Groningen Using seis- the grain of what connects us.” Van Roos- mic data from the KNMI, the Dutch meteo- malen proposes a public space that is a plu- rological institute, she created a multimedia rality. Each with its own set of standards installation in which visitors underwent and values, perhaps even its own legislation. an embodied experience. Wearing a tactile “Through initiatives such as the Open Source vest, they receive vibrations that approxi- Governance project you create a micro-legi- mate the sensation of earthquakes. “The slative structure that enables coexistence KNMI data are public but cannot be under- with others in one layered, versatile space.” stood by the general public,” says the Danish artist. “Still they have an impact on policy. This also applies to monitoring air quality, which reveals a lot about our social differences.” She points out that algorithms are the main driver of policy development, and that experiences of citizens are neglected. By showing how power manifests itself through technology, art in public space may be able to rethink opinions. After ten years of music journalism (OOR, NRC), Annemiek van Grondel specialized in writing Tone and language issues about design and photography, including as editor But, as Hazekamp points out, how do we (Adformatie), editor-in-chief (L’Ofﬁ ciel; L’Ofﬁ ciel ensure that urgent art projects are not neu- Hommes) and chief editor (Identity Matters). Pendar Nabipour, Open Source Governance (opensourcegovernance.com), 2015 - ... Pendar Nabipour, 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 14 SYMPOSIUM please don’t destroy, but enjoy Lieneke Hulshof

panel sesssion There is a fairly long tunnel in Amsterdam Oost. For years it was What responsibilities are there with regard a dark passage where many pedestrians and cyclists felt unsafe. to art in public space? Until 2013 when Architectengroep NIO were able to realize a work chair of art there. 36 LED screens 2.5 meters high were placed on the Rogier Brom (researcher/coordinator Boekmanstichting) sides of the tunnel. And on those screens large silhouettes of animals are projected that seem to walk through the same passage. panel members Several times I have seen children enthusiastically run towards a Rosa Sijben (visual artist) Eduard Weijgers (Kunstwacht) strolling elephant. At the same time, this work has to do with van- Tracian Meikle (researcher and educator dalism; the LED screens are often destroyed and defaced. in the arts) Carolien de Boer (Culture dept. municipality Artist Rosa Sijben’s studio is located in the same neighborhood of Utrecht) and when she recently cycled past the projected animals, she found Rinske Hordijk (Culture dept. municipality a note: “Greet the neighborhood, this art gives us so much pleasure, of Utrecht) please don’t destroy, but enjoy. Thank you”.

Rogier Brom raised the question of the re- Responsibilities and Commitment sponsibilities surrounding art in public space, Research by the Boekmanstichting into the nue to look critically at contemporary works of the client, the artist and the artwork. Percent for Art regulation (whereby a cer- of art in public space. And that meeting is Which responsibilities lie with the authori- tain percentage of the construction budget a good idea, but the artist must be paid fairly ties, which with members of the public and was reserved for public art), shows that the for it, says Sijben. When we talk about all what does this mean for the artworks that different phases in the creation of a work these different phases of a work of art, there can be found there? Brom wonders when of art in public space (assignment, form/ are many meetings involved where every- these responsibilities are related and when execution, maintenance) are approached one at the table is being paid, except the they ‘bite’ each other. The reason for placing separately by different people, so that every- artist. It is expected that they are simply a work in public space is of great importance one only feels responsible for their own part. there without having their hours reimbursed. to how the work is perceived. For what rea- Brom wants to approach it as a whole, as son do we place art in public space? The one process. The artist should actually be Order and regulation context will change over time, so that the involved with a work of art in public space One and a half weeks after the fi rst conver- work will end up in a situation with a com- over a much longer period of time and there- sation, there is an online session in which pletely different dynamic and set of con- fore also in its maintenance. Eduard Weij- Rogier Brom talks to Carolien de Boer and ditions, varying from overdue maintenance gers of Kunstwacht explains how important Tracian Meikle, again about the question and changing zoning plans to shifts in debates that maintenance is. He regrets that this what it means to take responsibility for art in society and a very diverse audience. is sometimes only addressed so late in the in public space. This conversation focuses process, sometimes too late for advice on, more philosophically on who or what defi - for example, the choice of material. nes public space, who has power and what this means for the artworks concerned. The artist should be involved with a work of art in public space over a much longer period of time The question is raised as to why artists are not normally invited every fi ve years to a meeting about the condition of the work of art after the work has been carried out. Sijben suggests that it would be good to 2013 Into the Shadow , Wibautstraat Amsterdam discuss not only practical matters, but also the social relevance of a work of art. Just as problematic historical statues should be municipal information board entrance tunnel passage / municipal information board , NIO Architects Utrecht Central Station 2017 Coates , Arrivals/Departures, Utrecht Marcus adapted or removed, it is also good to conti- 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 15 the power of responsibility

Public space in the Netherlands is quite uni- For whom? que. When Meikle came to Amsterdam from The political and policy side of works of art Jamaica, she saw an enormous shift in how in public space - committees, clients, rules The Netherlands public space is organized. Everything here and who has what to say - receives a lot of could show more guts is arranged, conceived and designed. attention in the discussions. Meikle argues There are two sides to this. On the one hand, that you can and perhaps should approach by placing art attention is paid to public-friendly spaces the political in a broader sense. Political with a social component with cycle paths and a well-kept environ- thought must also be given to the work of in public space ment. On the other hand, neoliberalism has art itself and its expressiveness. Namely: for left an enormous mark on this public space. whom is this art made? What does the art- Everything is regulated to such an extent work say and who can relate to it? De Boer The examples of the tunnel and the red wall that there are no “frayed edges” left. mentioned earlier that they are working on show what we actually already know: the Consumption and proﬁ t, that’s all it seems a monument for the ‘guest worker’ in Utrecht. importance of the public and local residents to be about in many places. And then you get Meikle believes that thought should also be in a public work of art. I do not cite these “a boring public space, that is so uniform”, given to who makes the artwork. That could examples without reason, the special thing says Meikle. In 2021 it seems to be increa- be someone who also has a background as about artworks on the street is after all the singly the case that public consumption is a migrant worker. That is a political question fact that they enter into a relationship with more important than creating a society to- that is more important than all the bureau- people who have not necessarily asked for gether. cracy that is quickly classiﬁ ed under “the it. People who have not bought a ticket or political”. have prior knowledge of what they encoun- Can you ask a maker When Meikle looks at art projects in public ter are also actors in that social space who to be unruly, space in the Netherlands, she sees many bear responsibility for the artwork. successful examples, but also many images Fortunately, I hear from both Rinske Hordijk within certain that are highly abstract. They can look beau- and Carolien de Boer that municipalities frameworks, tiful, but where do these abstract images are increasingly thinking about the public in a certain place? lead? Suppose someone walks by, what is and their participation in the process. The the effect? Is the abstract always able to con- example of the tunnel that Sijben cites in But what does this order and regulation of nect with the viewer? Meikle would like to the conversation shows that, fortunately, public space mean for the art that will be see the Netherlands show more guts by pla- local residents also embrace art, take care featured in it? De Boer indicates that this cing art in public space that has a social of it and protect it against vandalism. That question can be uncomfortable. She and her component. is really taking responsibility. team strive to make it possible for artists to give a different view of that public place through art and to explicitly move away Works of art on the street from regulation. But can you ask a maker enter into a relationship Lieneke Hulshof studied at ArtEZ in Arnhem to be unruly, within certain frameworks, in with people and completed her master’s degree in art history a certain place? What then remains of the at the UvA in 2018. Since 2015 she has been work- makers individuality? I understand De Boer’s who have not necessarily ing for the online art magazine Mister Motley of discomfort concerning her role in an increa- asked for it which she has been editor-in-chief since Septem- singly organized public space, but she is ber 2017. also honest about it. It’s better than having I am reminded of a video I saw about a tall, no art at all. red sculpture in the shape of a wall that

artist Alfred Eikelenboom placed in Amster- dam-Noord 33 years ago. The residents were not happy with it, it took away their view and it was “an ugly thing”. The wall was now in bad shape and was to be removed. The street residents were happy until they heard that the work would return, but made of plastic, organized by the daughter of the now deceased artist. The words that kept

popping into my head during this conver- 2007 Living Sculptures ), Barcelona sation were: “Let that daughter put it in her

own garden, if she likes it so much. El Ché ( Because we all think it’s horrible here.” I believe this is exactly the kind of example that Meikle is referring to: a large abstract sculpture that does not communicate with the environment and does not tell a story for

the local residents, who can beneﬁ t from that? Christian Jankowski , 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 16 SYMPOSIUM trouble that matters what the discussion about Sabine Winters

panel sesssion Criticism, opposition, protest, Joke de Wolf described it earlier in What is the use and necessity of art that her article for HP de Tijd as ‘trouble’. Trouble as a direct reaction makes trouble in public space? to the artwork, trouble around the selection process of a work of chair art, trouble about art in public space in general. With some regula- Joke de Wolf (journalist, art critic) rity, an art object in public space is the center of a heated discus- panelleden sion with all the accompanying repercussions. Damage to the client’s Kamiel Verschuren (visual artist) reputation, removal of the artwork, dissatisﬁ ed local residents. Giny Vos (visual artist) Femke Schaap (visual artist) As a consequence, De Wolf argued that trouble ensures that a work Gabriël Lester (visual artist) of art and the function of art in public space are included in the Anna Tilroe (curator) public debate. The starting point of the conversation was therefore that trouble is an inevitable and perhaps even a necessary part of art in public space. With some regularity, an art object in public space is the center of heated discussion

Joke de Wolf raises the question: ‘What is the What it’s all about use and necessity of art that makes trouble The question is, does this trouble matter? should be answered by both the commis- in public space?’ Art in public space is visibly Criticism, uproar or protest is almost never sioning party and the artist is: ‘What should present to all users of that space, and there- only about the placement or removal of the this work of art achieve (at the moment)?’ fore often causes trouble. Passersby, local artwork itself. When trouble arises about A question that takes into account the au- residents and interested parties such as shop- a work between the parties involved, such dience, the environment, in short the situ- keepers and streetscape viewers often let as the municipality and local residents, ation into which the artwork is placed. their opinions be known before the work public space quickly becomes the arena for is completed. Especially when they don’t airing underlying sentiments based on as- like the work, they know how to organize sumptions and (pre) judgments about art. More often than not, action groups and petitions, both online Moreover, experience shows that more often power games and offl ine, and they immediately look for than not power games between local resi- allies in the press, sponsors or politicians. dents and policymakers are played out are played out But when opposition stirs, proponents also through the discussions surrounding the through the discussions manifest themselves. Can this trouble contri- artwork in public space. The dialogue that bute to the embrace of a work of art? should generate involvement among the surrounding the artwork And doesn’t a lively debate offer the oppor- local residents with regard to the artwork in public space tunity for a desirable back and forth discus- is lost in underlying confl icts. To what ex- sion? tent is it the artist’s task to put his or her work at the service of resolving the confl ict in the public arena, by making the work more beautiful, fun and acceptable?

In order to be able to answer this question, it is important to note that a work of art in public space is not so much about a physical location, but rather more about its placement within a situation: society is constantly changing. This applies to the makeup of the local residents, of the municipal council, even of the relevant art committee. Certain insights into history, the policies regarding the location and cultural values are also subject to change and enter into an interaction with the artwork. The most essential ques- - Leeuwarden Cultural Capital of Europe 2018) Cultural Capital of Europe 11Fountains - Leeuwarden

, Kassel Germany 2012 Gabriel Lester , Transition tion for the placement of a work of art that Birthe Leemeijer , The Ice Fountain Dokkum 2019 ( 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 17

art in public space should be about , There is the future (public free space Kamiel Verschuren II) , Zutphen 2005/2006 Teuge 2015 Femke Schaap , WEstLAndWElls (artist-impression),

More often than not, , Rising Sand Stationsplein Apeldoorn 2008 Giny Vos power games Formulating an answer should be part of the Instead, he argued, art had to be brought to that situation, means there. Moreover, the dialogue between the interested parties, but the people, so that they could take a step autonomy of art continues to be represented are played out should be facilitated by a representative who towards (understanding) art. I agree with in the mediating role that the cultural insti- through the discussions dares to stand up for the artwork. Local cul- Reve. Not every person is equally receptive tution assumes in the dialogue. After all, tural organizations, such as museums and to an art encounter, not every local resident art in public space must be able to profi le surrounding the artwork galleries – or perhaps even cultural produc- will feel represented in the choice of a work itself more independently than merely con- in public space tion houses – could play an important role of art, and not every municipal councilor forming to the conventionally acceptable, here. Established institutions in particular involved dares to make a choice for debate. beautiful, or ugly. Art in public space may have the knowledge and skills to inform and stimulate, trigger and give new meaning. communicate about the purpose of a work Not every person Art may generate debate because it offers of art and to facilitate dialogue between dif- perspectives. That’s where we should take ferent parties. Not only for the benefi t of is equally receptive the conversation. That’s the trouble that art in public space itself, but also because to an art encounter matters. cultural organizations, such as a museum, can thus serve as a community hub. A hub Conversations with parties who will always where the different practices come together continue to disagree with each other are un- and engage in a conversation. Moreover, this avoidable. But by having the conversation local representation generates support for conducted by local cultural institutions the artwork. This involvement could ensure such as museums, you ideally prevent the that a work of art fi nds a place in the com- conversation about art in public space from munity, even before it is installed. becoming clouded by underlying admini- strative confl icts and power games. The aim Sabine Winters is a freelance philosopher. Towards art of this dialogue is to hear both sides of the She works in interdisciplinary projects as a pro- Gerard Reve wrote that he did not under- story from the community, but also to inform gram maker and project manager. She is also stand the endless discussion about how the and to discuss what art in public space is founder of the interdisciplinary philosophy people could be tempted into looking at art actually about: what art in that place, in platform Futurebased.org. 40 years BK-informatie - anniversary edition Art in Public Space 18

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