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.