Temporary Landscapes

Essays

SLeM – Stichting Landschapstheater en Meer

Thieme Art, Deventer
 sible possible! In previous years, a large group of people have greatly
contributed to the realization of SLeM projects. It is with great pleasure
that I refer to the long list of contributors at the back of the book.
I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for the effort
made by all, but especially to the indefatigable SLeM team, in the hope
that together we will still be able to realize many extraordinary SLeM
projects together in the future.
Foreword In de afgelopen jaren heeft een grote groep mensen haar bijdrage
geleverd aan het realiseren van de SLeM-projecten. Graag verwijs ik
The text book Temporary Landscapes, together with picture book, reveal naar de lange lijst van betrokken personen achterin dit tekstboek. Aan
the development of Stichting Landschapstheater en Meer. allen en in de eerste plaats aan het onvermoeibare SLeM-team wil ik
In his essay ‘Will and Representation’, Journalist Gert Hage reveals mijn grote dank en waardering uitspreken voor hun inzet, in de hoop
what motivates SLeM. He distinguishes three types of projects in his samen nog vele bijzondere SLeM-projecten te mogen realiseren in de
account: 1) projects that focus on infusing a site with meaning by adding tijd die voor ons ligt.
an event or a story (Prachtgleis, Kerkbrink, Bloeienddorp, LangsteLen-
teLicht), 2) projects that are based on the transformation of a location Bruno Doedens
by performing a scenario (Bosfabriek, Bosoase and Jaarringen) and 3)
making landscapes that trigger imagination and reflection, in which a On behalf of SLeM
guest artistic discipline and the public make important contributions
(Dansendwoud, Jaarringen, Zomersprookjes, Opdrift and Windnomaden,
in short, the Oerol projects).
In his ‘timeline’, Frits Vogels offers an comprehensive review of
SLeM’s development, which originated from the close collaboration
between GRIF and DS landschapsarchitecten. He sketches the playful Content
exploration that led to trail-blazing along the limits of landscape archi- Will and representation, Gert Hage 6
tecture, location-based theater and film, in combination with different Landscape theater projects 1996-2009, Frits Vogels 22
artistic disciplines per project like music, poetry, literature and painting. SLeM-productions 76
The location and the landscape fulfill an important and leading role in all Colophon 86
the projects.

To sum up, it can be said that SLeM projects are driven by the power
of imagination, the will to shift perspectives, the mobilization of social
energy, the combination of unexpected forms of collaboration and,
perhaps most importantly, the ambition to make the apparently impos-

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6 2006 - jaarringen 7
 that is to say: it is simply and solely there in relation to something
else, something that represents, and that this is he, himself.’
‘Will and representation’ could be SLeM’s motto too.
About ten years ago, the founders of SLeM took on the nearly
impossible task of revealing the essence of a landscape through
art. By transforming it, by letting events take place that have
either a lasting or temporary effect on it. They would later call it
SLeM makes the impossible happen ‘landscape-theatre’, quite a new genre at that time. SLeM set itself
Will and representation the task to make the ordinary extraordinary, to amaze and alienate.
Landscape-theatre forces the visitor to experience the landscape
Gert Hage with other ‘eyes’ and other ‘hands’. New mental landscapes, spaces
that are allied to memories, crop up through disorientation. The
It was a chaotic but good-humored gathering in the Veem theatre in temporary landscape disappears, is cleared away, washed down,
Amsterdam. The main SLEM stalwarts took their place at the table: blown away. But memories know no time and they are stored in
Bruno Doedens, Frits Vogels, Theo Heldens and Andras Hamelberg. these landscapes. The fast time of theatre becomes slow time. A
The discussion concentrated on how theatre, film and landscape newly dreamed landscape arises that can always be evoked. It has
architecture relate to one another. The landscape architect’s ‘slow become a place instilled with memory.
time’ versus the ‘fast’ time of the theatre maker. And how film, the
art form that mocks time, could be fitted into SLeM’s temporary The horizon as boundary
landscapes. In short, that afternoon those present explored whether Everything begins with amazement, and SLeM is no different. Two
theatre, film, painting, literature and music could invest the people were curious about the each other’s work. It was the early
landscape with new layers. Could it make a static landscape ‘fluid’ nineties and Frits Vogels, mime expert/ director was still the artistic
and how was this to be done? How can transitory theatre leave a director of Griftheater. The theatre company’s performances were
lasting imprint on the landscape? Can artistic disciplines like film and held at unusual locations and were visual and associative, devoid
theater shape the landscape as well? of narrative. Griftheater focused attention on its surroundings. The
location of the performance determined in part the scenario, the
The task of art is to reveal the essence of the world, wrote Schopen- dramaturgy and the method of working. Performers were moving
hauer in The World as Will and Representation. This standard work sculptures in a finite space. But what happens when the space is
opens with the following sentences: ‘The world is my representa- infinite, when there are no walls or a roof? When the location is no
tion, this is true for every living and conscious being, although only longer an old factory, coalmine or police barracks but a beach or a
man can form a conscious abstract reflection; and if he truly does, forest? When, in other words, nature is the theatre and there are
philosophical contemplation has set in. He then sees with clarity and no boundaries other than a horizon, a wisp of trees, a dike or the
certainty that he does not know a sun nor an earth, but always only audience. How does the absence of an obvious focal point affect the
an eye that ‘sees’ a sun, a hand that ‘touches’ an earth. He under- performers and the public?
stands that the world around him is only there as a representation,
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 Bruno Doedens, co-founder of the bureau DS landschapsarchti- Alchemy at any hour
tecten had his own questions. Around him, he saw a society where Frits Vogels: ‘We began with a form of alchemy that brought good
social ties were disintegrating, that was becoming increasingly results, but didn’t produce the gold we were looking for. The question
impersonal and superficial. Not that there are only negative aspects is whether we’ll ever find it. I’m just not sure. Bruno has achieved a
to individualization, globalization and increased economic impor- theatrical form of transience with his landscapes, but I haven’t yet
tance; they also make citizens resilient, freer and more self-reliant, been able to formulate an adequate theatrical answer to landscape
but inevitably at the cost of social cohesion in society. Citizens, he architecture’s slow time, scale and complexity. It should be noted
observed, were in danger of losing contact with both their social and that the two projects in which theatre would have made a lasting
physical environments. What could he, Doedens, do as landscape change to the landscape, Bosoase and Bosfabriek, were never
architect to reconnect citizens with their personal surroundings ? realized. ’
Could he design landscapes that were ‘more personal’, that write Bruno Doedens: ‘SLeM tries to make the impossible possible by
their ‘own story’? How do you create culture instead of simply getting disciplines which at first sight seem miles apart to collaborate
creating a landscape? He saw an important role set aside for art. Art with each other, among other things. We began by doing projects
that tempts and stimulates, art that invites playfulness. that had no clear final image, thereby allowing coincidence and the
Frits and Bruno got talking to each other after a Griftheater unexpected to play a role. That was a new way of working for me.
performance, a discussion that ultimately led to SLeM. It was the I learned to look at reality in a different way and became increas-
beginning of a quest: how to unite two incompatible disciplines? Or ingly convinced that the process of forming the landscape was more
rather three, because film in the person of Andras Hamelberg also important than the final product. My field, landscape architecture,
became involved. And he had his own questions too. Film formed an is still trapped inside a technical approach, thinking in terms of form
integral part of Griftheater performances, Hamelberg’s film images and function instead of energy and movement. SLeM creates room
had a role to play in the performances. What would his position be within that process for forms of art and play, it helps to write the
in a vast landscape, in a space without walls to project on? At any script for the construction in the same way that participants make
rate, film was perfect for making the transformation of a landscape in their own contribution to the process. All these different actors with
time tangible. Film could serve to connect the fast time of the theatre their different forms of energy help to determine the shape of the
with the slow time of the landscape. But could film itself shape the (temporary) landscape. A landscape that through play is charged
landscape as well? In other words, what does film need for it to fulfill with music, theatre and stories. A new page is turned, the landscape
a prominent role, as it did for Griftheater, and be more than simply a is refreshed.”
historical record of SLeM’s achievements?
Graphic designer Theo Heldens, SLeM’s first chairman, completed Homo Ludens
the ensemble. He became the designer of the SLeM books and Historian Johan Huizinga’s standard work Homo Ludens was
website and just as importantly, also functions as inspirator and published in 1938. ‘When we came to realize that we are not as
heckler. He asks questions no one else asks. reasonable as the Age of Enlightenment with its veneration of reason
would have us believe, the name homo faber, man the maker, was
adapted to be used alongside the term homo sapiens to indicate
our species. The term is less accurate than the first, simply because
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‘faber’ also applies to many animals,’ he wrote in his foreword. ‘What furnished, but of a multitude of different kinds of spaces. Social,
applies to making, also applies to playing: many animals play. Yet ideal, cultural, playful, secure, suspenseful, risky, scientific, religious,
it seems to me that homo ludens, man the player, deserves a place and pleasurable kinds of spaces. Collectively these spaces shape the
alongside homo sapiens and homo faber, as an equally essential continually changing urban landscape.’
function. It is an ancient wisdom that at the core of our knowledge, ‘The dynamics of that landscape are in accordance with its
all human activity is nothing more than ‘play’. Those content with size and composition,’ Hartman continues. ‘It is an event driven
this metaphysical conclusion should not read this book. I can see by the interaction between all sorts of spaces, for example, when
no reason to abandon the idea of play as a distinct factor in all that they change, are supplemented or abolished. It is an energetic,
the world is. I have become increasingly convinced that civilization fairly chaotic and capricious occurrence which, you might happily
originates and develops in play, as play’. In Homo Ludens, Huizinga observe, produces a kind of order, despite its chaotic character.’
stresses the importance of play as guardian and generator of culture. With the recognition that landscape is fluid, in itself an event, the
‘Seriousness can be denied, play cannot. However, play also means process becomes more important than the final product. In this
acknowledging the human soul, whether one wishes to or not. process the theater maker, film maker, graphic designer and count-
Play in any form is not substance. As in the animal world, it breaks less enthusiastic volunteers play important roles for SLeM. The
through the barriers of physical existence.’ Huizinga continues, ‘play financial and organizational hiccups that occur during this process,
promotes community spirit, creates and strengthens social connec- also partly determine the final result. It is this exchange between
tions. It is precisely the pleasure of play, something very different to people, landscape, and the discipline of art that shape the temporary
sports, that threatens to disappear in a world where materialism rules landscape.
and the soul is banished to the surface.’
Ars vita est
Fluid landscapes Bruno Doedens, who has emerged as artistic director of SLeM
SLeM plays. With time and space. With ‘sun’ and ‘earth’. SLeM takes over the years, sees himself as the motor of an event while also
play seriously. The game is complicated and time-consuming. The monitoring its continuity and quality. ‘Like Hartman, I see the world
time is protracted, the space sets restrictions and the bureaucratic as a continual stream of decisions that lead to a more or less physical
processes are arduous and drawn-out. A successful result requires result. This way of thinking offers another view of reality. When
patience, capable management and strong persuasive powers. The “event-thinking” becomes the central focus, there is more freedom
game is played according to fixed rules, a seemingly logical and of action and more room for experimentation, which in my case
rational process in which builders and governmental authorities play means collaborating with other disciplines. Directing the project and
prominent roles. SLeM wants to change the rules of the game to mobilizing and motivating people are important aspects of this. How
better reflect a multi-colored reality. Likened to Willem Hartman’s do you get 400 painters, or seventy writers, to trust your ideas? How
book The fluid city, you could say that SLeM strives to create fluid do you make the impossible happen? I try to build a bridge between
landscapes. These landscapes recognize that development is not diverse disciplines and SLeM, but also between groups of people.
driven by imposed rational choices alone, but are rather the result Creating a landscape through purely technical and bureaucratic
of countless individual decisions. Hartman: ‘It is not a question of processes only produces an empty and meaningless result. When you
a single, objectively measurable space that needs to be filled and involve other disciplines and harness social energy, you give meaning
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to a landscape. It becomes charged with memories. Theatre and film fitting description’ says Doedens of his role. ‘Mobilizing social energy,
enrich the landscape, but I also need them as a source of opposi- bringing all that money and all those people together, are essential
tion. Although difficult at times, it’s nonetheless crucial because it parts of the project for me. In addition, as a landscape architect, I
enhances the quality. Art should be a part of life itself. It makes life have the experience and knowledge needed to successfully complete
and nature, richer, more extravagant and more exuberant. Compare sizeable projects like these. Another point is that most projects need
it to a tree. The roots represent depth, thoughts, and the tree’s crown to finance themselves. We had to sell the Zommersprookjes’ glass
represents experimentation, performance. Both need to be in balance shells and silhouettes from Opdrift to bankroll the projects. SLeM
for the tree trunk to grow.’ takes considerable financial risks. More artists should do the same,
instead of waiting around to hear if their subsidy applications have
The Oerol experimental garden been granted. The temporary landscape is formed during a process
SLeM has established a solid reputation thanks to the Oerol theatre in which artists, the SLeM team, the participants, but also all kinds
festival on Terschelling. The festival has given SLeM the chance to of financial and organizational aspects play a role. It is a dynamic
create temporary landscapes for a large and varied audience over process of countless decisions, small and large, that leads to a more
the past five years. It put SLeM on the map, but also emphatically or less physical result.’
determined the course SLeM would take. The transitory nature
of the festival was reflected in the fleetingness of the temporary Scale and dimensions
landscapes. What remained was a book, a film and a memory. After Film and theatre had supporting roles at Oerol. Film’s role was limited
Berlin (Prachtgleis) Oerol was also a laboratory for further investi- to the registration of a project’s preparations and performances
gating if and how various colors can be mixed together. Although which were then condensed to create an expressive film. An artwork
you could also say that theatre and film influenced the perception of in itself, but more as observer than participant. Andras Hamelberg:
the Prachtgleis landscape by practically co-writing the script, their ‘Film was an essential part of the Prachtgleis project in Berlin. I was
contribution to the Oerol projects, except for Jaarringen, has been able to use the compressed time of film to convey the multi-year
limited. The focus shifted to the organization required to realize these landscape transformation process. At Oerol, I was forced out of sheer
short-term projects; from mobilizing writers for Zomersprookjes, necessity to limit myself to making a form of poetic documentary
producing three hundred metal silhouettes with just as many sayings quite autonomously.’
about time for Opdrift, to recruiting 400 artist’s for Windnomaden. This was true to a lesser extent for director Fritz Vogels. ‘Creating
The time and energy consuming organization needed for these landscape- theatre is a lot more complicated than location-theatre.
Oerol installations, became an essential part of SLeM projects. Bruno A landscape lacks a focal point for the audience. A relatively fixed
Doedens took the lead during the preparations, supported by an final image makes it even more complicated for me as theatre maker.
enthusiastic group of volunteers, from cooks to gofers. He not only It was difficult to develop theatre and landscape together at Oerol,
developed the basic ideas for the installations but also gathered partly due to a shortage of funds. The fact is that theatre is expensive
together the people and financial means needed to realize them. He and yields hardly any income. The result was that theatre became
became both the artistic and financial director in one. ‘I don’t see more a supplement than an essential part of the project’s installa-
myself as an artist, but as a ‘cultural entrepreneur.’ In Italy I’m called tions. There’s a great danger that it then becomes a kind of gallery
an architiste, a contraction of architect and artist. I think that’s a theatre. The task proved almost beyond me as theatre maker, partic-
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ularly when the imagery was especially strong. The scale and dimen- played a role in the game; even before Jaarringen was completed, the
sions of the landscape architect happen to be difficult to combine process of disintegration had begun and continued, until four months
with those of the theater maker. The step towards developing a later the shore had finally reassumed its old trusted appearance. The
landscape together, towards a symbiosis of theatre and landscape, whole process from construction to disintegration was recorded on
could have been made in the Bosoase and Bosfabriek projects. Unfor- film. The films of bulldozers constructing the rings were shown on
tunately, those project were not realized. Of the completed projects, ferries to Terschelling and a compilation of performances was shown
Prachtgleis and Jaaringen came closest to the ideas which inspired at the festival grounds. The film-maker was emphatically present in
us to found SLeM: an intensive and balanced mixed of professional these performances. He was both performer and historian. Film and
disciplines.’ theater guided the spectators’ experience of the landscape more than
in the other Oerol projects. They co-wrote the scenario. Bosoase and
Inescapably alienating Bosfabriek, never realized, went a step further. Jaarringen was about
It was 2006 and Oerol 25 years old. SLeM created 25 rings of sand to a temporary intervention; these two projects would have perma-
celebrate this anniversary. In three weeks, two bulldozers changed nently transformed the landscape. Not only that, the transformation
the North Sea shore near Paal 12 into a massive hilly, circular would have been theatrically executed. The making of Bosoase and
landscape. It was impossible to avoid, the rings took up the whole Bosfabriek served as the script for a performance to be executed by
beach. The public assembled in the dunes just before sunset and were machines, the public and performers.
divided into three groups. Each group was led by two performers
and wore costumes of a different color. To the accompaniment of All certainties removed
live music, the groups entered the landscape sculpture at different The SLeM projects have produced three different landscape forms.
places, each of them following a different route through the rings, Prachtgleis, Een Bloeiend Dorp, Convoi Exceptionnel and LangsteLen-
ending at the heart of the sculpture. The theatrical finale took place in teLicht all used an event to add a story to the landscape. Besides
the enclosed heart of the rings while the audience watched from the theatre and film, active audience participation was of vital impor-
second ring. It was already dark by that time. The landscape changed tance, to realize these new mental landscapes. The 2000 people
every day, slowly but surely, until it was worn down by wind and living along the Overijssels Kannal who lit lanterns or helped place
water. torches and the inhabitants of the village of Heeten in Salland who
It was a unique project in so many respects. Jaarringen, unlike planted 200,000 sunflowers, helped to renew these landscapes. But
other projects such as Opdrift, Zomersprookjes or Windnomaden, more things happened: the projects called upon a sense of commu-
actually physically transformed the landscape. Inescapable and nity and social energy. The inhabitants were asked to shape their
alienating. The unrestricted beach was no longer unrestricted. It had own environment, SLeM created the conditions. This involvement,
become a place with rules and physical obstacles, full of opposition. combined with the temporary transformation of the landscape,
The audience walked in a lines along a fixed route through the sculp- influenced the mental perception of the village, the canal and the
ture. They were both spectators and actors. They played with the community itself. Everyday reality was given a new outlook, one that
sculpture, the landscape and with each other. Play allowed a different made a lasting impression.
and more intense experience of the landscape. Time and space Then there are the projects that would actually transform the
had new meaning. A new beach story was written. And nature too landscape, such as Bosoase. Film, theater and music also helped
16 17
determine the performance during the process of transforma- silhouettes with them. Looking at a past that no longer exists and
tion. Every year, a new chapter could be added to the story of the unable to see the future. Time is no longer relevant. And when time
landscape. At the intersection of the different disciplines, scope is no longer matters, when there is neither departure time nor arrival
created for a new experience of time and space, for imagination time, there is space for imagination and play, for an intensive experi-
and alienation. Finally, there are the temporary landscapes to which ence of a landscape that homo ludens helped design.
both artists and public contribute: Dansendwoud, Zomersprookjes,
Windnomaden and Jaarringen. Interventions in the landscape that
give an extra dimension to the commonplace, that stimulate fantasy,
invite contemplation and encourage play. The participant creates his
own stories, the world becomes a performance in which nothing is
predetermined or self-evident. He loses himself in a forest of meters-
high pvc-pipes on a beach, becomes absorbed in tales of the sea
recounted by shells and drags his feet slowly through the loose sand
or is carried away by the kinetic paintings of the Windnomaden. And
ultimately stripped of all certainties, he understands that everything
exists only in relation to something else - and that is he, himself.
Indeed, we have returned to Schopenhauer.

The wonder of time

Despite their differences, all projects are centered round a leitmotif
of renewal and imagination, of amazement and alienation, of
playing with time and space. And there is grandness in both scale
and dimension. Not one hundred, but 7000 pvc pipes, not 50 wind
nomads, but 400. SLeM is not frugal. SLeM is exuberant and pushy
and plays the game of big numbers. It is precisely this exuberance
and spacious scale that contributes to the sense of alienation. That
feeling in turn affects the experience of time and space. Spectators
lose their grip of the boundless space as the supposedly immutable
landscape suddenly teems with events. This disorientation confronts
the spectator with broad open vistas, in both the physical and mental
sense of the word. Memories of what have been, fade away; the
landscape is new, experienced with new eyes and felt with new
hands.
And lived in another time: experiential time. Opdrift was about the
wonder of time. People walked backwards along the beach dragging
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20 2007 - zomersprookjes 21
 Griftheater and DS landschapsarchitecten, in others words, us. Now, in
2009, the term yields almost a thousand hits on Google.
In 2003, the time had arrived to not only make plans but also
to create a legal entity. Without needing brainstorming sessions or
involved discussions, it became the Stichting Landscapstheater en Meer,
SLeM. SLeM appointed itself the safe-keeper of the Grif-inheritance.*
Under the flamboyant chairmanship of Theo Heldens, meetings were
The SLeM timeline held in the landscape, in the open air. These meetings were the first
Landscape theater projects miniature SLeM projects. There were meetings on bridges, in unfinished
new housing districts, in forests, gardens, rooftops and café terraces.
1996-2009 It led to Dickensian discipline in the by and large fresh, open nature.
But these gatherings were also ineffectual because they needed to be
Frits Vogels hasty. We turned to unusual locations like building site huts and beach
pavilions, even the metro (we went back and forth until we reached the
Birth of a word and a genre. last point on our agenda.) This situation was also unworkable; to survive
It is unclear when the word ‘landscape-theatre’ was first used. It was even SLeM was forced to compromise and hold quite conventional
there suddenly, casually, quite naturally, to specify what we were busy meetings.
doing. The name arose from the desire to further develop the concept
of location-based theater, this time without walls and roofs, as well as Chance meeting
to see landscape architecture in a different way. Could the processes of Bruno Doedens and I first became acquainted sometime in 1992. Given
design and construction be enriched and/or influenced by adding artist his interest in (location) theater and my interest for (theater in the)
forms such as movement theatre and film? The often cited dissimilarity landscape, we began to plan projects where our two activities could
in the perception of time that landscape architects, theater and film- merge. Our plans were finally realized in 1995 when DS landschapsar-
makers have, played a big role. We asked ourselves how different artistic chitecten, the bureau he manages together with Maike van Stiphout,
disciplines could (trans)form landscapes and whether the ratio between won a prestigious international prize: Zwei Parks am Potsdamer Platz.
process and final result could be modified. Would this make designing A plan to grace the opening of the Prachtgleis Park (later Tilla-Durieux-
the process more important than the design itself? Park) with images of the transformation of the park from 1996 until
From 1991, the landscape was an important factor in several Grifthe- its completion, was quickly put into action. It was the beginning of the
ater productions without being specifically mentioned.1 It was also clear working relationship between DS and Grif.
that DS landschapsarchitecten leaned towards the theatrical in both
design and execution.
We googled the Dutch word ‘landschapstheater’ for fun at the end of
* The first board consisted of a mix people from DS and Grif: imitators Bruno Doedens
the 1990’s and got two results: a professor from Wageningen who called (DS), Andras Hamelberg (Grif/Franjo) and Frits Vogels (Grif), supported by Marike Dijkster-
a specific site a ‘landschapstheater’ and a description of a project by huis (Grif), Maike van Stiphout (DS), Véronique Vetjens (via DS), Atty Tordoir (via Grif) and
Theo Heldens, chairman (via DS).
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Thanks to the fall of the wall of construction, provided material for the final film; starting with the
In 1996, seven years after the fall of the Berlin wall, there was still remains of the GDR period up to the high-tech neighborhood it has now
a section of the wall in no-man’s-land between East and West. A become. We learned to recognize and appreciate the building site as a
landscape that bore the marks of 30 years of neglect: rubble, rubbish, park. We read the construction activities like a script from which we
and a sad little tree here and there formed the border. The site of former drew inspiration for registering the changes to the fallow terrain in and
Prachtgleis station close to the Potzdamer Platz was the location for around Tilla-Durieux-Park.
the future park, almost 500 meters long by 80 meters wide. To find Naturally, we did not know at the time that the park would only be
a good solution for this site, the city council held a competition for a completed in 2003. In retrospect, that long period of time was a fine
park design. The young bureau DS Landscapsarchitecten designed a learning process.
landscape-sculpture for those impossible dimensions, partially ignoring
the program of demands set by the competition. Filming in a construction site
They designed a five-meter tall asymmetrical ‘hill’ for each of the In 1996, Grif and DS travelled to Berlin together with Andras Hamel-
short sides that sloped downwards towards the middle in a twisted berg to explore the area and, as much as possible, to film a largely
movement over the entire length. The only pedestrian passage is in improvised performance by Grif players on the building site that would
the middle of the sculpture where five gigantic seesaws accentuate become the square and park area. There was no budget. We knew that
the ‘twist’ through their movement. It is entirely covered in grass (see the cost of this investment would never be recovered. It was a purely
photo). artistic venture and a huge gamble. Would our seemingly incompatible
Their obstinacy paid off: they won first prize and ‘their’ two parks perceptions of time (landscape architecture’s ‘slow’ time, the theater’s
near the Potsdamer Platz would be constructed. In time, the parks ‘condensed time’ and film’s ‘manipulated time’) come closer together?
would need a festive opening and could we come up with an event, to
be performed by Griftheater? We set to work, each within our own field.
From that moment on, film-maker Andras Hamelberg would record on
film and video the transformation of the area in a way that reflected his
views on manipulated time and spatial perception. Brigitte Defaix and
Jan Taks, both Griftheater players, were also excited about the project.
They were to become the theatrical cultivators of the terrain, the
constant factor in a landscape that continually changed over the years -
from weedy, musty wasteland - into a green oasis in the middle of what
is now a static environment.

At least once a year to Berlin

Every year, from 1996 up to 2003, video registrations were made in
and around the site of the future park, using the DS design as a starting
point. This resulted in four, short video films about the metamorphosis
of the (park)terrain. These four films, plus registrations of the last year
24 1996-2003 - The Prachtgleis landschap-theater project 1996 - prachtgleis I 25
 We decided to start in a practical way: the whole site was our The spontaneous struggle to climb a temporary sandy dike (a
playground, a place for free improvisation. Based on information of desperate attempt to reach the top) that first time, was a scene that
the park’s design, we used long ribbons to create slanting lines that made it into the final film.
delineated future definite forms. The temporary ‘construction path’
disappeared in a upward curve, out of sight, threatening to traverse site 111 recruits
boundaries. Luckily, we could not possibly foresee that this long road We heard indirectly that theater groups from Amsterdam could submit
also represented years of construction delays. We looked for objects of performance ideas for the opening of Ijburg’s experimental island.
play that spectators could infuse with their own symbolic meaning. Under enjoyment of good food and wine, our first plan evolved
The remaining section of wall still standing when we first started through association. At that moment we were not sure if we would
filming, was not used in any scene. A graffiti competition held there said participate. This is why the numbers 111 and 97, the number of recruits
enough. Towering above was a red box that functioned as information we wanted to use, simply represented the idea of ’many’ without
center for visitors. It provided a wonderful view of the entire Potsdsmer having any deeper significance. A scenario emerged as we reviewed the
Platz, especially of the strip where the park would be. results of our first spontaneous ideas.
Although it was closed to the public, DS arranged for permission to The title was a response to the artificiality of the raised island and the
film there. A duet of abstract movement by Jan Taks and Brigitte Defaix inhabitant’s need for nature; the contrast between the makeable and
worked better than we had imagined, it gave the fragility of human the fertile is something a densely populated country like the Netherlands
labor in that coarse environment another dimension. is used to dealing with.
Our plan was not meant as a performance with a defined begin-
ning and end: the moment of confrontation with the invited public was
nothing more than one feature of a continuous process that began
before the moment of observation and continued after those invited
had left. The relic of the ‘performance’, which could literally be seen as a
‘forest factory’, was a forest for Ijburg. A forest that can be cultivated by
adding trees and events each year. That this forest would also be made
of iron poles among the real trees is the designed paradox in the title.
Several ideas from the script:
‘At least a day before the evening of the public opening, a large
crane drops old lampposts from the highest possible position. In time,
these will form a topsy-turvy iron forest.’
‘111 people walk in a compact row up the longitudinal levee where
a same number of 20-meter tall saplings have been placed earlier. On
the Diemerzeedijk opposite the island, 97 people ascend the rear of
the dike in a long parallel line, each person carrying a sapling of equal
length. The tree tops come into view before those carrying them. The
first forest is raised. The 111 people on the levee start to upright their
26 1996 - bosfabriek 27
saplings from south to north in a wave to make a line of swaying it up among the system of pipes that for some unexplainable reason
branches. Two forests waving to one another (This is the first time that spread their tentacles all over the site and make whistling noises every
this idea is used, the second time was in Onttijd in 1999 when extras so often. They try to escape from the construction site along verti-
from Terschelling formed a living forest. The idea was recycled for a cally slanting pipes by pushing each other higher, sliding down again
third time in the design of Bosoase (2001), when the trees were actually and then in a sensual duet over and under one another, they reach the
planted.)’ opening at the top. Like two exhausted medieval well cleaners they
‘Different audiences assume a role in relation to each other in remain behind in Berlin’s building frenzy. We witness the choreography
this piece. From the levee the audience can see the island and large and performed by a construction worker to avoid becoming entangled in his
small boats sailing around it while those on the Diemerzeedijk look at own steel matting. With careful steps he walks in synch with four men
the levee and the sailing crafts. The people in boats have a view of both flanking him on the widely-meshed steel base. With their bare hands
land masses.’ they fasten the long supple steel shafts one by one.
‘We associated the 111 and 97 people on the levee, Diemerzeedijk Collectively these construction workers are closing the gap between
and those in the two groups of boats with the last conscription for East and West which is still so visible. They are unwilling and unknowing
military service. A more striking and symbolic transition from war and performers in our film. Theo Heldens’ 2003 poster for the opening of the
tedium to peace and useful societal tasks is hardly imaginable.’ park features a photo of their work.
Of the submitted entries we came second. Although never realized, The small wooden box containing a miniature model of the future
the plan lingers on: it would be fantastic to give a performance that park also turned up in this section. It is the treasure that Jan and Brigitte
is more than transitory, that brings about a lasting change in the dig up to show that already, at that moment, concealed under the
landscape. The competition of Bosoase held in 2001would lend itself for ground of the site lies a preview of the final form the landscape-sculp-
this.

Measuring tapes and reinforced steel

What would the site look like a year after our impressionable visit
to Berlin? The year was 1997. Concrete reinforcement steel was still
everywhere; not very natural but inescapable. It became increas-
ingly apparent that Brigitte and Jan were treasure hunters. And land
surveyors.
The film: an endless strip unrolls from out the top of a building by
Renzo Piano and continues growing in length - the entire 500 meter
park must be measured once more. The players disappear from view
and the camera only follows the strip that continues on and on.
Speaking of time. A daring shot.
Brigitte and Jan form a strange duo, searching among the construc-
tion workers who are busy building a new world. They picnic on stacks
of reinforced concrete as if the park was already completed. They live
28 1997 - prachtgleis II 29
ture would assume. We were not consciously busy making ‘landscape- stone that stands estranged in the middle of all that concrete and steel (
theatre.’ We tried to come as close as possible to each other’s fascina- the next time it will have disappeared without a trace.)
tions. Could a theater maker see with the eyes of a landscape architect When Jan finally reaches an intersection, standing in the middle of the
and can the film maker see with the eyes...and so on? And that is passing traffic, Andras converts the scene into a painting in motion by
fascinating enough. swiveling his camera restlessly to and fro so that the resultant stripes
and undulations capture Jan’s feeling of helplessness as he is engulfed
The Prachtgleis/Potsdamer Platz neighborhood by the speeding traffic..
We continued to go to Berlin for a couple of days every year to follow
the progress made on and around the renovated Potsdamer Platz. We Exceptional transport
mapped a fixed route after previous visits so that we could compare and DS landschapsarchitecten designed four ‘brick carpets’ for the redevel-
register all the changes. opment of Kerkbrink in Hilversum. Grif and DS discussed the official
At that point we were only making the film, the opening was a long opening for the renovated square.
way off. The site of the future park that had been transformed into a An excerpt from the first script:
water basin a year earlier (to apply downward pressure on a railway ‘Construction projects are usually launched by laying a first stone.
tunnel) had now become a city of stacked containers and building site The opposite is true for the opening of Kerkbrink: when the last stone
huts that prevented an overall view of the terrain. is laid the square is finished. A theatrical interpretation of filling that
It is unclear whether that was the reason we ended up at the last open space may take the form of a choreography featuring street
periphery of ‘our terrain’ that time. We began at Gleisdreieck Station pavers, tree planters and their machines. Completing the stone ‘carpet’
and took the metro. That turned out to be a great decision: in 1998 the can be seen as the opening of the square: the carpets are finished, the
next station was still Potsdammer Platz; it transpired that the next time, party can begin.’
within one year, a new station would be built between the other two.
Now that’s what you call transformation!
We realized that ‘going astray’ had been the theme of our visit
after we returned and saw the film. We had run up against scaffolding,
endless scaffolding. The film: using a special technique Andras, the
film-maker, transforms us into specters roaming through a forest of
scaffolding- poles. The yelling crane operators and their mates can still
be heard below in the caverns where we wander around. The camera
pans to the forest of cranes hoisting loads of swaying materials to
where they are needed. For another steel forest, see Bosfabriek (1996).
As in the second film, the players (this time Maike van Stiphout and
Jan Taks) are trying to escape. The film: Maike discovers the gate is
locked and repeatedly slams herself against it in desperation while Jan
constantly collides with a man-sized boulder, a large chunk of natural

30 1998 - prachtgleis III 1998 - kerkbrink hilversum - convoi exceptionnel 31

 ‘Construction workers on the square give a seemingly impromptu It was a theatrical performance about the landscape, about how the
show but with so much rhythm and musicality it quickly becomes clear light behind the horizon changes until it is completely ablaze. It was
that the completion of their work coincides with the opening of the also about introducing changes artificially, placing platforms in the mud
square’. flats, waving canes on the embankment and a roving forest, made up of
This script was not performed. Stone carpets were not the only players dragging trees (borrowed from the Bosfabriek script).
things that needed to be taken into consideration: an artwork by Shlomo All this occurred just before daybreak, continuing for one-and-a-
Koren, a massive 4 x 8 meter stone weighing 40,000 kilo, was to be quarter hours, between four and five o’clock in the morning; a presen-
erected in the middle of the square. This mighty block needed to be cut tation that had the audience move from the performance location to
from a plateau in the north of France. A convoi exceptionnel, excep- Rijkswaterstaat’s inner dike storage terrain, over the dike, along the salt
tional transport, was required to transport it. marsh to the foot of the pier, until they finally reached the top of the
Convoi exceptionnel is also the title of a short film by Heinerich Kaegi dike for an overall view.
and Andras Hamelberg. We followed the transport of this granite giant From the program:
from the French quarry up to the moment it was placed in Kerkbrink. ‘There is a danger that we lose ourselves, powerless as minor
Three video screens were placed above the artwork for the opening. At players in such an immense area. Our remedy: do not resist; make space
the same time, the trees and buildings surrounding the square were lit in and for the changing landscape. For a new day with new light, different
in succession and the poems that had been engraved into the pavement every time; as the sun becomes visible, we try to make ourselves disap-
by Shlomo Koren, were recited. It was a marvelous experience, a kind of pear. Constructions created during the performance remain behind in the
Son et Lumière, adding a new chapter to this old story-filled square. landscape.’
From the Oerolkrant:
No film from Berlin
We shot some footage on our fourth trip to Berlin but had neither the
time nor money to edit the material. It was incorporated in the fourth
short film of the series which would be completed in 2000.

Terschelling’s landscape-theater
Inspired by our collaboration with DS, Griftheater decided to take a
chance and create a landscape-theater production at the invitation of
the Oerol Festival, Terschelling. It is a festival that is always open to new
ideas for location-based theater indoors and for productions in the open
air.
The term ‘performance’ as applied in visual arts was used expressly
for Onttijd to emphasize its situational character. The finished product
was of course closer to the theatrical use of the word, after all, we were
a theatre company.

32 1999 - prachtgleis video-registrations 1999 - ontijtijd 33

 ‘Griftheater doesn’t create a performance but a piece of life. It is a marks the beginning of the fourth part of the series. It would be the last
harmonious cadence of creation, triumph, demolition and helplessness, part before the presentation of the ‘full-length version’ of the film at the
designed on the boundary between man and nature: between the tidal opening in 2003.
gully and the Rijkswaterstaat terrain.’ A surrealistic sight awaited us when we arrived at the terrain that
From the NRC Handelsblad: Sunday. The film: the terrain is emptier, the field is lying fallow ready
‘It’s heavy work, that much is certain. It requires acrobatics, to receive the park. The sound of bells ring in the Sunday. Then, out
mime, song, and strength. Finally a man-sized ball is rolled over a hill of nowhere, countless numbers of construction workers appear and
and the weary figures go on their way. Apparently their work is finished. begin to move stacked wheelbarrows. Each man takes three barrows
Just as they have disappeared, the sun rises –directly across from the at a time – one to carry, one in the front like an extension, and one
audience. A crimson ball, majestic and graceful. And just for a moment upside down. Transporting wheelbarrows with wheelbarrows is in
you are certain that work like this has been carried out every morning. itself hilarious. When it is accompanied by ringing bells the association
For centuries’. (Joyce Roodnat) with a procession is unavoidable. Brigette and Jan seamlessly join the
procession which makes it even more surreal. Then they run up the long
A procession of wheelbarrows construction path for the last time and survey the future park. This path
Our fifth successive visit to Berlin brought us no closer to the opening: will have been leveled by the time we next visit the site, but the slope
a shortage of money in Berlin and political intrigue even brought the alongside it will still be intact. Once more they lie on the incline and
realization of the park into doubt. Undaunted, we continued making our conjure up the future as if the park already exists: amongst the weeds
rounds of the future park and neighborhood. It was the year 2000 and and litter the three players whirl sensually around and around .
the new station at the end of the site had been completed. This clearly The buildings show signs of completion and the street scene around
the park grounds is becoming well-defined . The space seems to be
increasingly more restricted. The shopping arcade is complete and the
streets behind the Potsdammer Platz, which follow the pre-war street
plans, are in full use.
The fourth film in the series gives an overall view of the changes by
mixing shots from previous films with footage made in 2000. A compi-
lation of all these images of random moments show how this historic
location is transformed.

An room in a forest museum

We decided to participate in the Museumbos competition, at a location
close to Almere. It calls for the design of a 1 hectare plot of ground in
the forest, one of the 10 ’rooms’ to be created for the so-called Forest
Museum. SLeM, avant la lettre, was one of the 10 winners.
Based on Bosfabriek, our proposal was to theatrically construct a
forest plot of which the design was determined by a scripted sequence
34 2000 - prachtgleis IV 35
of actions and not altogether predictable public participation. In ‘With horse, harrows and finally with rakes the surface is
Bosoase, a landscape would be created from the remnants of several smoothed and formed into an undulating relief. Flower bulbs are turned
performances over the course of a few days, with the help of the public under with the rakes. The lines created this way form a tranquil sculp-
and machines. The forest construction process was the script for the ture, a kind of mandala that is almost absent-mindedly destroyed after
performance. Only an outline of activities and their sequence were fixed, being created.
not a final form. The park could be the location for a recurring annual A helicopter flies overhead. Under it hangs a large tree that is
event causing it to change repeatedly as it grows. All the forest-forming dropped into one of the holes (dug earlier by a bulldozer). This action
activities during the construction as well as maintenance phases were is repeated. The trees land crookedly in their newly dug holes. Extra
to be carried out as a theatrical performance. In this way the ‘extended plants, young trees carried like a rhythmical walking forest, are trans-
time’ of landscape formation would fuse with the ‘limited time’ of a ported in procession from the surrounding woods.
theatrical performance. By creating special situations, this type of Bulldozers plant larger trees in the higher sections. They are
landscape-theater aims to leave behind physical relics and turn the planted slanting to one side, in S-W direction. In growing straight
process of growth into a performance. In combination with our activi- upwards from their slanted position, they will be helped by the wind
ties, this approach can lead to the creation of diversity for a (naturally blowing from that direction.
and culturally) rich forest by playing with surface relief, sun and Paths are made through the new rough forest; there are strict
shadow, wet and dry and different types of plants. rules on where to walk. Slowly two groups evolve. They walk to create
From the script: ‘elephant paths’. In this way a system of routes becomes visible
through paths hardened by walking.

36 2001 - bosoase 37
 A group from those participating ‘sows’ a layer of blue chippings SLeM often uses the term ‘social energy’ for public participation. If it
over the ground, another group covers that layer with poppy seeds.’ was ever applicable to anything, then certainly to this project. Never had
The project was never realized because of misunderstandings on growing sunflowers received so much attention from so many people.
both sides. We had waited too long with our final plan, the organization Nowhere else had the word ‘sunflower’ been on so many people’s lips as
waited too long before warning us of the deadline and then no longer in Heeten in 2001.
dared to risk a ‘script that would write itself’. Suddenly nothing more The workgroup also asked the villagers to take a group photo per
was possible. Regrettable. street. From the initial planning stage on to the blooming flowers and
their ultimate cutting down; each stage was recorded in detail and
An abundance of Sunflowers published in a book. It is a document with touching and hilarious photos
To have an idea is already something, but to also develop it while of more than 80% of the inhabitants. A SLeM book avant la lettre.
keeping track of all aspects of its progress, is something that that can be
entrusted unreservedly to the brothers Bruno and Dominique Doedens. Griftheatre heading towards SLeM in Slovakia
They organized a party for the village they grew up in; a homage to the We simply could not refuse an invitation to realize a location-based
power of village culture which often receives too little attention. A silent project for the opening of the annual dance and movement-theater
sense of community and a down-to-earth mentality formed a solid festival in Bratislava. Danubiana, a museum for modern art on small
base for the successful environmental project, a temporary landscape of peninsula in the Danube, was chosen as location. ‘Water’ quickly became
200,000 sunflowers by and for everyone in Heeten (Overijssel). the common theme, prompting the design of a series of installations.
An indescribable amount of work needed to be done by workgroup
Heliantus and an army of volunteers: more than 1700 bags of sunflower
seeds had to be divided up and filled, folders with the bags of seed
distributed door to door, the flowers sowed and watered, weeded and
cared for in gardens and the roadsides along approach roads. Photo-
graphs needed to be arranged, collected, and the selected photos copied
for publication, not to mention all the other activities.

38 2001 - bloeienddorp 2002 - h₂0/danubiana/h₂0 39

 The journey began in the port of Bratislava. The public were brought Prachtgleis (finale)
by boat down the Danube to the remote museum. As twilight set in, As the Tilla-Durieux-Park sculpture nears completion, plans for a grand
they disembarked and walked past a series of thematically connected opening became clearer. For our subsidy application we made what we
performances in and around the museum. It turned out there was called: A manual for a park, from which the following selection:
another peninsula within visual and walking distance of the museum ‘The performance is scheduled to start at sunset to do justice to
peninsula, as uncultivated as the museum peninsula was over- the character of the landscape and so that video projections can be
aesthetic. The landscape character of the whole undertaking could be seen clearly later on.
exploited this way. The two islands were contrasted: we worked with Live component by and for actors and the public:
driftwood, plastic-bottle costumes and fire on the wild island while on The actors and musicians move on and around the 21- meter long
the museum island video-projections, light paintings, light and sound seesaws. The mime they perform is inspired by the ‘twist’ in the design’s
techniques and an electronic music installation were used. form. During the live performance they revive themes and scenes we
The enactment of overblown pursuit scenes, flames and songs across have filmed over the years.
the water from the uncultivated island opposite were used to attract Two projection screens will be placed on either side of the open
attention. The museological character of the project was made tangible middle area.
by leading the public on a walk past the installations/scenes . The element ‘time’ will play a role in the opening: the players
will perform live (1). This will be filmed in its entirety days before and
A dream of an evening walk with big consequences fragments will be projected in synchronization (or not) with the live
SLeM did not officially exist yet but we still felt the need to experiment. performance (2). Fragments from films made since 1996 will also be
We submitted a proposal to the Oerol Festival for Monologen aan zee. projected (3). A camera registers (for instance with close-ups) the live
The starting point was simple: three groups with a storyteller /writer as action, i.e. the present.
guide, take an evening stroll along the shore. Stories form the basis for An installation centered around the public. Through various
monologues told along the land’s outer edge . The writers were asked activities within a short period of time, the audience experiences what
to write stories ‘as if they were the sea observing the land’. This theme the basis is of the park’s design and, like a manual, how to use it.’
became the leitmotif of Zomersprookjes in 2007. Each group could be This turned out to be financially unfeasible. The Fund for the
recognized by the colorful flapping garments they wore. The walk began Performing Arts was positive about the application but found that for
at dusk at different locations along the shore, at a short distance from such a complicated project too few performances were scheduled. As a
one another because it was important for the groups to maintain visual consequence we received no funding. The Municipal District Berlin Mitte
contact. Confrontation between the different groups is not necessary and the park’s building contractor helped out so that a scaled-down
but an encounter does generate empathy and gives the landscape opening could take place.
character and memory.
This was not the first time that ‘the audience is the audience for the Film as transformation-voyeur
audience’ surfaced in a proposal and from 2005 onwards it has played For the final event in June 2003, Andras Hamelberg made a full-length
a role in every project. We had submitted our proposal too late and film compiled from all the earlier short films and from footage shot by
could not organize it in time. Unfortunately never realized. The colored Merit Fakler of the park’s realization. Fakler filmed the final demise of
costume idea was used in Jaarringen (2006.) the transition zone between East and West Berlin. For years the terrain
40 2002 - monologen aan zee 41
was used as an auxiliary and storage area for buildings and streets in the although somewhat untimely, still a wonderfully theatrical and dramatic
neighborhood, for the construction of the metro and even as an open effect to open a park with.
terrain for circuses and other temporary events. At the end of 2002,
the bulldozers finally began on the work we had waited so long for: the The end of Grif
meticulous construction of the sculpture. It was fascinating to see how That was Griftheater’s last performance, a series that began with DS and
such hulking machinery could gently stroke the future park expanse and Grif together with a large number of the same collaborators in 1996. The
mould it exactly into its ultimate form. Machines and their operators as Koöperatieve Vereniging Griftheater was disbanded and SLeM became
actors for SLeM, daily life placed under a magnifying glass as landscape- a legal entity almost at the same time, several months after this event.
theater. The park was completed in the spring of 2003, long before the SLeM took over the statutes drawn up by Grif in order to safeguard
date of the official opening. In June we needed images of the finished Griftheater’s legacy.
park frequented by the inhabitants of Berlin. Luckily I know a good
actor who lives and works in Berlin, Aleksander Acev, and he brought Leaving DS
along a beautiful actress, Sandra Pauly. In the film they represent a new Bruno Doedens stepped down as a director of DS landschapsarchi-
generation, complementing the images of Brigitte Defaix and Jan Taks, tecten, a bureau he co-founded, in April 2005. He wanted more time to
who can now enjoy the park as it was envisaged after years of hard concentrate on developments at the periphery of his field, and to give
work by their predecessors. more attention to SLeM, among other things.
The first results of this were Kras in het bos and Dansendwoud.
A stormy end
The project, the result of seven years interdisciplinary collaboration,
came to an end on the day of the park’s opening, 21 June 2003.
The full-length film, in which the recent construction of the park
was combined with images from previous years, was shown in a nearby
cinema at the Potsdamer Platz. Guests and passers-by gathered in the
middle of the landscape sculpture where a large, 21 x 21 meter sheet
had been placed to cover the five colossal seesaws there. Their position
in a east-west direction was certainly not accidental. The players
began their closing act to the stirring sounds from Rainhas de Norte, a
Brazilian female percussion group. As they were just getting started,
a short intensive storm erupted. The sheet billowed up, the actors
wrestled amid the rippling textile as if they were shipwrecked. The men
in mechanical shovels who were there to tear the sheet into two halves
were given the go-ahead and began to advance: the sound of ripping
cloth; at that very moment a fierce squall flung the cloth meters high
into the air. The percussionists played on passionately. The actors on
the seesaws remained behind bewildered. A true deus ex machina and
42 2003 - opening tilla-durieux-park 43
Slow chairs on a hollow road From the script:
Bruno designed the event Kras in het bos, een cirkel van de trage tijd on ‘The circle: from the first day a perfect circle is laid out with the
behalf of SLeM for Oerol 2005. The project made the relativity of time help of GPS and 60 bizarre time totem poles, placed around the circle’s
tangible through landscape-theatre, the visual arts, film and landscape outer rim to identify it.’
architecture, focusing on rarely used spaces and time scales. The result ‘The scratch in the woods: the ’Circle of Slow Time’ is gradually
would be a track in the landscape, a scratch in the forest. Again a formed by what appear to be impossible installations/machines that
project that puts public participation center stage. autonomously and in a slow tempo dig along the circle making a literal
The ‘Cirkel van de Trage Tijd’ was an unending scratch in the woods; scratch in the landscape.
a route that triggered the imagination and distanced itself from the ‘Confused cuckoo clocks nestled in groups in the trees have
landscape around it through scale, abstract forms and continuity. completely lost track of time and call at unpredictable moments.’
The circle would be 1 kilometer in diameter with a circumference ‘Story-telling writers/poets are placed on ‘slow chairs’ and
of 3.14 kilometers; an earthen sculpture and catalyst for all activi- carried along the circle by the audience. The poet only recites when the
ties. The route would be an ever growing belt, on and alongside which chair is lifted.’
landscape theater events would be performed that shift both performers ‘On the last day, the public plant small trees in the excavated
and the public’s perspectives while transforming and slowing down circle led by the master-planter. The trees will ensure that the circle
the landscape. The activities that form ‘Slow Time’ were divided into remains recognizable as time goes on.’
autonomous and audience-based activities.
Slow time wins
Staatsbosbeheer, for whom this kind of project was completely novel
but who are nonetheless used to quite a lot on Terschelling, couldn’t
immediately grant permission. Dividing the project over a number of
years seemed possible. In the first year we suggested demarcating the
circle over a 10-day period and placing modest installations at its north,
south, east and west points, along with objects in trees and ‘talking
trees’( hidden speakers).
Larger and more interactive events could take place in the years that
followed; the circle could be dug deeper and on the circular path activi-
ties could be held that encouraged the public to take part; three gold-
painted tractors would drive around, re-enacting the performance with
the clocks and speakers. Although not yet realized, it remains in our files
for future realization. And as precursor to Jaarringen in 2006.
We were happy to continue our discussions about Kras because
Terschelling is the perfect location for this kind of project. Especially
because the discussions with Joop Mulder, Oeral festival godfather,
kindled enthusiasm for SLeM.
44 2005 - kras in het bos 45
No reeds, no African savanna, no trees The SLeM ‘reeds’ symbolically slowed this process down and fastened
Now that Kras was put on hold, Bruno came up with another idea: the island in place. Dansendwoud was a reaction to the primeval forces
Dansendwoud. After all the planning and designs, it was time to act. And and currents that cause the island to ‘wander’. This was also a link to
even though Oerol was officially ‘full’, we received permission to partici- the theme of Oerol that year: Oneindige Deining (Endless swells).
pate a few weeks before the festival opened nonetheless. Planting the reeds began a few days before Oerol started, friends,
loved-ones and acquaintances all helped with the initial planting. The
Close to Paal 8 on Terschelling’s north shore, a forest of more than 7,500 installation grew during the 10- day festival. Public participation under-
four-meter tall ‘reeds’ that swayed in the wind was planted along the pinned the project. Each and every visitor could help by planting ‘reeds’
edge of the shore. The installation reached a length of about 800 meters and add to the ever expanding forest originating along a constantly
and was partially under water at high tide. The reeds were simple pvc changing tide line.
tubes that were returned to the factory and recycled after the event. From the invitation:
The project was inspired by the fact that the Wadden Islands are “The forest is dry at low tide and flooded at high tide. The endless
moving gradually. The following is from the ANP news: movement of the sea becomes both visible and tangible. Perspec-
‘…pretty soon Terschelling will pass the province of Groningen’s tives shift and imagination is stimulated while wandering through the
eastern border .….’ swelling forest between the sand flat and the endless sea. As soon as

46 2005 - dansendwoud 47
you enter Dansendwoud, boundaries fade away. Shadows scatter, even SLeM team member from the start) decided to go to Africa for a couple
the wind becomes music. Playing comes naturally.’ of months. The original idea was to create a chain of installations along
From the Oerolkrant: an imaginary circle around the Sahara, the landscape could be isolated
‘...from a distance Dansendwoud looks like an African savanna in a subtle way, also by using local resources. For security reasons (it
with tall tough blades of grass braving the sun and wind. The closer you was too dangerous to travel through the eastern Sahara), the idea of
get, the more complex the image becomes, more unnatural and organic the circle had to be abandoned. The journey would now wind through
at the same time. Nature and human creation become one as they northwest Africa: Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Mali, back to
sway endlessly together with the wind.’ Mauritania and home again.
‘Plastic doesn’t belong in nature, but I wouldn’t mind if the To retain at least one repetitive element, Bruno and Onno loaded
temporary Dansendwoud stayed forever .’ their car with twenty thousand wooden skewers so they could create
The ‘forest of reeds’ was not a premeditated design but developed small installations as simple interactions between travelers and the local
organically. The motion of ebb and flow, the streamlines in the sand and inhabitants, often children. Africado is a self-devised African Mikado.
the participating public were the designers. And the wind! Playful without being pretentious, but also alienating; this is how
The whole installation was relocated to the sand of a very different temporary additions to existing landscapes are created.
(temporary) beach in the western port area of Amsterdam, as décor for The process was central to the project, not the final product.
lounging urbanites. Apart from a few enthusiasts there was decidedly Persuading the local inhabitants to become involved was (once again) an
less public interaction, the predominant attitude being ‘if this landscape important part of the project. Other important themes were ‘mobilizing
is so important to you, make it yourself’. Even so, Dansendwoud held its social energy’ and ‘slow time’ design. The idea of using skewers would be
ground for several weeks. An unexpected side effect was that the reeds recycled in another project that same year: Jaarringen.
slowly wilted as the plasticizers dissolved in the sunlight. As if they had Quotes from Bruno travel diary: ‘I’ve planted the first 200 skewers in
had enough and gradually died off. the snow, high in the mountains. Onno filmed them with the beautiful
mountain décor in the background.’
Promising reactions ‘Yesterday I made, together with a young boy who happened
For us it began as an experiment; let’s make an installation somewhere along, a skewer installation in the wreck of a stranded boat and played
on the beach and see what happens. The small self-financed project Africado with a group of children, or better said, we explained the game
was a way of testing a number of our basic principles. We were really once and then they played it among themselves.’
amazed and happily surprised when photos of our project suddenly Under the heading: let each location indicate what is and isn’t possible:
appeared in almost every newspaper in the Netherlands. We never ‘…we’re making the largest installation to date: about ten
dared dream it would be so photogenic, although we had envisaged it thousand skewers! Half a hillside full, in the middle of an enormous plain
would be an impressive sight. There were no reviews though, only the that glitters with light reflecting in the dried salt. It’s fun to do this with
Oerolkrant devoted attention to the installation. more people – it goes a lot faster.’
‘... the light from the setting sun is exquisite and the waves play
SLeM-circles all the way to Africa beautifully with the motionless skewers. The reflection of the skewers in
Working in cyclic patterns is a re-occurring theme in Bruno Doedens’ the water that slowly retreats thereby causing the reflection to dissolve,
work. (Kras in het bos, Jaarringen). Also when he and Onno Brand (a is unbelievably beautiful.’
48 2006 - afrikado 49
A little astonishment is a major strength The differences and similarities with SLeM can be traced back to
The process of making the landscape installations was recorded on Grif ideas: the use of the word ‘vertoonstelling’ (show-exhibition) to
film and video. Attention was devoted to making the ‘invisible visible’. describe some performances, indicates that exhibitions were already
That sounds more mysterious than it is; by focussing on shadows or being considered precursors to current installations. But not installa-
the roughness of the terrain or the flow of wind and water, observa- tions in the strict sense of the word: ‘static’ is not a word you would use
tions surface that hardly ever receive attention. In Dansendwoud, the to describe a Grif ‘vertoonstellingen’ or a SLeM installation.
shadows of reeds in the wind were also striking ‘additional forms’ in the Throughout its existence Grif considered itself a research group.
totality of the landscape. A little astonishment is a major strength. Research demands freedom to act, to wander unknown paths that
When the time came to start preparing for Jaarringen, it became sometimes lead to unexpected outcomes. SLeM carries this approach
clear that the journey had consequences for the people back home. forward.
Bruno found it difficult to organize SLeM’s biggest project to date from
Africa. After all, he was the initiator and project director. He was sorely Form follows content
missed when important decisions needed to be taken. As a conse- Grif and SLeM are both of the opinion that linear storytelling stands in
quence, Oerol almost cancelled the anniversary project. the way of directly conveying a visual image, even though the public
wants to follow a story, no matter what the form. The story could be
Reflecting on the roots used as the backbone of a composition, or something you hang a form
Before traveling to Terschelling to transform the landscape, we needed on, like a coat rack, but it would still obscure the form. SLeM/Grif prefer
to finish another project: the first official SLeM book! It describes the the opposite approach: form, visual image, movement, space, and the
history of the Griftheater movement-theater group (1975-2003), its object determine what happens. In a landscape this also includes natural
development from theater studio to traveling theater group to location- forces. It demands an abstract approach to the composition, focusing
theater group, culminating through its collaboration with DS landschap- on associations, attention spans, repetition, rhythm and visual connec-
sarchitecten, in landscape-theater. tions. Grif turned to the visual arts for this. It is no coincidence that,
The cover text: almost imperceptibly, costume design, to a great extent, determined
‘The book follows the development from mime school project the character of Grif projects throughout its existence.
to a group operating in the open air. Successes and disappointments, By way of art and architecture, Grif became increasingly interdis-
pleasure and difficulties inherent to the world of theater are remem- ciplinary using movement/space, film, music and voice; a route that
bered and give an inside portrait of a passionate group of theater SLeM continues to follow in its own way. The pleasure of working like
makers. Attention is also paid to the international recognition Grifthe- alchemists, mixing up different combinations of ingredients, kept the
ater has received for its educational work. A 2-hour DVD with scenes members of Grif together. Ultimately the result is successful when the
from performances completes the picture.’ group experiences something inconceivable to the imagination. And
Grif van studio tot landscape includes all Griftheater performances when the audience shares that same experience. The wonder of the
over the course of 28 years. The transition towards and the ultimate unimaginable is a rare experience.
merger with SleM becomes increasingly clear in this book. It is not that The book presentation was held in the Veem theater and the
SLeM began when Grif ended. When SLeM was created Grif was still presence of many former ‘Griffers’ and new ‘SLeMmers’ emphasized the
active and by the end of Griftheater, SLeM was already a going concern. bond that existed between them. Everyone there clearly felt that this
50 2006 - grif van studio tot landschap 51
was the last time they would discuss Grif collectively; these thoughts wide, the sculpture appeared to originate in the dunes; the rings on the
and emotions made the presentation a nostalgic, yet future-oriented seaward side looked as if they had been partially washed away by the
event. The book is a SLeM publication, one of the heirs to the Grif legacy. ocean. The distance between the rings varied with the height of the
rings to a maximum of 15 meters.
Artistic director of SLeM But will it keep? Wouldn’t the sea wash the sculpture away at high
Clarity was needed to determine how responsibilities for initiating and tide? The experts were divided and Bruno was in Africa and difficult to
organizing projects should be divided. After Dansendwoud, Bruno felt reach. More and more people said that the project was madness and
that the time had come to embark on large-scale projects. How should would perish during construction. SLeM members being admonished by
SLeM be organized? After intensive board meetings it was decided Oerol and the earth-moving contractors were already anticipating that
that whoever broaches the idea should be artistically and financially the whole project would be cancelled when Bruno surfaced by email.
responsible for the project, including all financial risks. In other words, He defended the strength of his sand creation, backed up by arguments
one artistic director per project, someone who is totally responsible for from his landscape architectural practice. Gradually everyone became
its realization, like a cultural entrepreneur. With the help of other SLeM enthusiastic again. However, there was resentment about his absence
members of course, but the artistic director has the final word. This during this phase of the preparations. When Bruno finally returned in
has been our way of working ever since. Bruno takes the initiative and the middle of May and after lengthy discussions, it was decided that the
his ideas are further refined with other SleM members and carried-out project would go ahead.
according to guidelines we decide collectively. You could say that Bruno Construction of the rings could begin three weeks before the opening
has in fact been the SLeM artistic director since 2006, although the title of the festival. Literally earth-moving: with the help of bulldozers from
is seldom used. two of Terschelling’s earth-moving contractors, the beach changed into
A board of trustees was established to supervise the foundation’s a landscape of circular hills.
operational board, consisting of almost all the SLeM project makers, to
avoid conflicts of interest and to fulfill subsidy requirements. Landscape art and/or landscape-theater
Assisted by the public, who were both participants and spectators,
An earthen sculpture with a 400 meter diameter many activities took place in and around the sculpture at dusk, every
Jaarringen was created especially for Oerol’s 25th anniversary in 2006. evening during the 10-day festival. The goal was, above all, to promote
Near Formerun aan Zee, on the North Sea coast, a gigantic earthen an intense experience of the sculpture.
sculpture was created made up of 25 ‘growth rings’, one for each From the original script:
year - symbols of evolution and development. Joop Mulder, Oerol’s ‘Jaarringen will be the longest performance at Oerol. It begins by
artistic director, was immediately enthusiastic and hailed it as one of digging out the sculpture several weeks before Oerol opens and ends
the leading anniversary performances. It was thanks to him that we when nature has reclaimed it, which could take months, maybe even
overcame bureaucratic and logistic barriers. years.’
Spatial contours were constructed by shaping all 25 rings in relief, in ‘The public, divided in groups, follow in the footsteps of guides
varying heights, from sea level at the outer edge to a maximum of 2,20 tracing simple spatial outlines. They mirror each other and the other
meters at the core. The whole sculpture was 400 meters in diameter. groups in movement.’
Because the beach near Formerum aan Zee is less than 300 meters
52 53
 ‘No other lighting will be used apart from what each player the water enclosing the center and then dived dripping wet into the
carries, preferably blazing torches.’ sandy wall. They crawled upwards, wrestling and tumbling until they
‘A long rope will be stretched over the sculpture that acts like a landed in the heart of the sculpture where the woman with the wooden
vane, forcing the public into a single, slow-moving procession.’ skewers enclosed them in a warm, motherly embrace. Afterwards she
‘The musicians allow the voices within each group to seek releases her children out into the world and then follows them into the
contact with one another and with voices in other groups. The darkness.
musicians will play a significant role.’ Invisible to the public, the circles closest to the center were lit in
various ways, by lanterns, fires and small lamps. What remained in the
Not all of these ideas were used. In the final version the public assem- darkness afterwards was the transformation of the circles, emotion-
bled behind the dunes and were divided into groups of 50, each group ally charged by the public and players’ journey. This was in large part
was given costumes in either bright red, green or blue designed by due to the emotive power of musicians Paul Stouthamer and Eduardo
Hanninka Luitwieler. The costume idea from Monologen aan zee (‘02) Casals who, invisible to the audience, played while walking around
was finally realized. The groups, led by theater makers as guides, the outermost circle so that the music never sounded the same; their
began the rough journey through the sculpture as directed by Brigitte tones undulated, sounding closer then farther away. Finally the public
Defaix. ‘Earth-movers’ was the theme of Oerol 2006 for a good reason! was escorted back to the top of the dunes to look back at the lit circles
The three groups entered the sculpture at different places, each group below.
thereby becoming each other’s audience. Between the rings of the
sculpture groups experienced transformations in color, individual The active and passive public
paths, diverse directions, changes in timing, movements and distances There was a fourth group of (passive) spectators, people who oversaw
between the groups as they gradually converged towards the middle. the complete proceedings from the dunes, an impossibility for those
Another transformation was taking place simultaneously: the light within the sculpture. This led to a strange situation: the (paying) public
shifted from soft floodlight at the start, to sunset, dusk, and ended in worked hard to experience the performance from within, while the
almost complete darkness. public on the dunes sat and watched like voyeurs (for free), knowing
Two performers were continually present in the sculpture: a man full well that the performance was not meant to be viewed from that
shoveling in the outer ring and a woman in the center planting wooden vantage point.
skewers for two hours. The center, where the finale also took place,
was an enclosed ring containing a fragile field of about 15,000 wooden Daily film reports as series
skewers (a remnant from Africado, Spring 2006). The public watched Filming the construction of the sculpture weeks before the festival
from atop the second ring while they illuminated the players below with began was an important component of Jaarringen. A ‘loop’ of this short
the spotlights handed out earlier. film was shown on ferries to and from Terschelling during the festival
The players, who had been acting as guides until then, performed and video images of the site as it progressed were shown at various
the final scene: first they shed their colorful costumes and the public festival locations which generated interest throughout the island.
followed; everyone was as they had first arrived. The players behaved The evening performances were also filmed. Attention was directed
like children as they broke away from the public - their followers, and at recording the movements, the human scale, the magnitude of the
undressed further until they were practically naked. They cavorted in landscape and the robust power of nature. By editing the film in various
54 55
ways, different versions of the performances were created. These therefore classify us under ‘film’. Whereas the film profession saw our
versions were projected on video screens on the Westerkeyn festival projects as filmed theater, which in their opinion was not true cinema.
grounds daily. In this way the public, in addition to witnessing the visible The same still holds true for subsidy applications, even at a time when
growth and the transitions of the temporary landscape, could also everyone is talking about an interdisciplinary approach to art ...
experience a journey through the sculpture.
National Geographic
Not visual art, not theater, not architecture, what then? During Oerol, visual artist Rob Sweere “borrowed” the sculpture to take
Fear of failure was replaced by wide acclaim from the public, collabo- photos of many people in unusual positions in unusual surroundings.
rators, earth-moving companies and the festival director (who never It was an Oerol initiative SleM welcomed, as it served to inspire other
really doubted our project). Once again photos appeared in all the artists. Two thousand friends of Oerol were willing to lie down in the
newspapers, which made us very happy. Yet for the art press this kind sand for the photo shoot. This resulted in wonderful photos, a project
of project remained an oddity, not worth serious consideration. “What in a project. The photos were published in the November 2007 issue of
you create is visual art.” “No, it’s more theater” say others. To the National Geographic.
theater world we weren’t theatrical enough, architects felt that SLeM
‘s projects were too temporary to be considered architecture, and Shelf life
After the festival the sculpture was left as it was, surrendered to
the forces of nature. It continued to dwindle, but was still visible in
November. Especially from the air, where the rings looked like beacons
in the landscape. A pilot emailed us his observations. The process that
began the moment the sculpture was completed to the instant it was
finally leveled by mother nature was filmed and photographed. Despite
their initial reservations, it was also an exciting adventure for Rijkswa-
terstaat.
The films were also used as progress reports during the construc-
tion of the project. The fact that this was a unique event and would only
reach a limited audience at Oerol, made recording the whole project
imperative - as documentation for others and for later. This Andras
Hamelberg and Heinerich Kaegi have done in their very own way,
showing us (again) that their interpretation is a personal and autono-
mous view of the project.

SLeM-team
The SLeM team was formed during the making of Jaarringen. Friends
and acquaintances dropped by to lend a helping hand in realizing
Dansendwoud ; the group of enthusiasts who worked on Jaarringen
56 2006 - jaarringen 57
were busy around the clock catering, guiding the public, supervising the counts on the live part of the event being developed on location. It is a
indispensable Oerol volunteers and basically taking care of everything consciously chosen method, which leaves room for reacting to specific
that came their way. And that was a lot because SLeM projects are diffi- surroundings and the public without losing sight of the essence of the
cult and intensive. These same people are still the steadfast core of SLeM project. It can be compared to a landscape architectural design that
today. Occasionally there is a new recruit or someone is temporarily was consciously planned, but the development and exact final result of
unavailable, but they always pop up again, and we can always rely on which cannot be predicted. The experiences the landscape architect and
them to be there when they are needed. theater makers have gained during previous projects with these kinds
of processes and the overwhelming public response, fills us with confi-
Africa again dence that this can grow into an exciting installation and performance.’
Bruno’s trip to north Africa in the Spring of 2006 remained a source
of inspiration. Back in Holland, the question of how to deal with the Months earlier, writers and poets were approached personally to write a
‘achievements’ of our Western society kept him busy: short story or poem on behalf of the sea and to recite it (or have another
‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the sea could tell us stories about narrator do so) on a recorder which would then be placed in a shell. The
the relativity of human actions, our intentions for happiness, the value response was amazing, people were enthusiastic and almost everyone
of human interaction, the importance of art, imagination, hope and who pledged their support participated.
vulnerability.’
This was how Zomersprookjes began. Seventy giant glass shells The second SLeM book
washed ashore along the Dutch coast to tell us stories from the sea, All the stories were collected in ‘the vacation book of 2007’, Zomer-
stories written on behalf of the sea. The shells migrated southwards to sprookjes, published by Thieme Art (part of the Thieme GrafiMedia
Groede in Zeeland Flanders, messengers from Oerol in Terschelling. They Group). A poetic and educational documentary video was made about
told tales that gave us a broader view of the world and tie in with the the shell’s journey. This, together with the book, a dvd with all the
timelessness and wisdom of the sea, written by seventy renowned and spoken text and the internet site created specially for Zomersprookjes,
less well-known authors, poets and sound artists. were used as educational material for Dutch high schools.
From the subsidy application: An idea created for a never realized project finally falls into place
‘Those accompanying the shells on their journey will play a vital here: the story tellers are not personally present like in Monologen aan
role: the main task is to both subtly and theatrically bring this other zee (’92), but enclosed in their own shells, although some did show up
world, the world of the sea, to life so that the stories can be experienced for Zomersprookjes and recited their texts live.
more dramatically and intensely.’ According to SLeM, landscape theater has many other theatrical
‘Persuading the public to slow down is an important component faces besides installations. Zomersprookjes mades this very clear,
and an important condition for the success of the installation. This will especially during its tour along the Dutch coast: starting with the
prevent the public from only looking superficially, as they walk by. transportation of the shells to the different locations. These scenes
People attending the festival will be escorted around and encouraged to alone yielded images reminiscent of the Far East or Africa. Wheeling the
take their time and learn to see and listen in a different way.’ shells in a long row along narrow scaffolding could have taken place in
‘The Zomersprookjes event has no set scenario. Performance Vietnam, getting stuck in loose sand and digging oneself out evoked
possibilities are outlined by the main SLeM group. This is a process that
58 59
Africa, and the flooding caused by a night time storm was quintessen- building, half outside on the terrace near the embankment to keep the
tially Dutch, especially when it happens in Zeeland. suggestion of water alive. It was the last chance to see all the shells
together. This time they played a supporting role for the premiere
Erecting and dismantling as ritual of Andras Hamelberg’s film. The last of the shells were sold in the
Erecting and dismantling the installation gradually became a ritualized Muziekgebouw, just as they had been on the beaches during the tour.
act: the shells needed to be removed from their boxes, cleaned and Almost all the shells found a loving buyer. The sale of the shells financed
carried to a separate spot on the beach. Hanninka Luitwieler designed a third of the project. Another third was subsidized and the final third
an ingenious costume for dragging the shells which made transporta- was financed jointly by the municipalities the shells had visited on their
tion easier but above all, more theatrical. The audio recorder, a kind of tour. Talk about cultural entrepreneurship.
large mp3 player with the recorded stories, needed to be recharged at
night and reconnected inside each shell, one by one. The placement of Not only Oerol
the shell’s seventy storage cases in the most fantastic configurations at SLeM is not dependent on beaches alone; the limelight shone in a very
each location was both functional and decorative. People laying down special way on the Overijssels Kanaal in the spring of 2008. The evening
and listening among them completed the scene. of March 21 saw the canal transformed into one long 20 kilometer
‘Because they are portable, the 70 glass shells just washed up on stretch of light from Deventer to Lemelerveld.
shore create the impression that more could possibly follow and they LangsteLenteLicht was the official opening of the Overijssels Kanaal
could all simply disappear by tomorrow morning. But we know they will jubilee year, celebrating its 150 year anniversary. Stichting Sallandus
travel along the Dutch coast for approximately three months and then
disappear into the deep sea.’
An important educational program was linked to the project.
Students from high schools in towns the SLeM project called on played
among the shells and listened to the stories, poems and sounds which
were further discussed in school. SLeM team members Veronique
Vetjens and Tilly de Jong developed educational materials for schools
who visited the installation and those too far away to make the excur-
sion. Almost 50 schools made use of this material and around 900
students listened to the stories during the SLeM tour.

A three-month tour
This was SLeM’s most difficult and long-running project to date, a tour
of three months along the Dutch coast taking in Terschelling, Vlieland,
Texel, the beaches of north Holland and south Holland, with the tour
finally ending in Zeeland Flanders - thirteen locations in all.
The finale of the Zomersprookjes project was held in the Muziekge-
bouw aan ‘t IJ in Amsterdam in October that year, half inside the
60 2007 - zomersprookjes 61
was the initiator. The canal was commemorated during festivities proceedings as they drove along the canal. But even the two of them
that were for a large part conceived and executed by the citizens could not cover the whole 25 kilometers by themselves. This is why a
themselves. Bruno (idea) and Dominque Doedens (Sallandus committee competition for the most striking photos and films was organized. The
member) laid the foundation for LangsteLenteLicht. As they did for Een entries were incorporated in an exhibition about the canal, part of the
Bloeiend Dorp, the sunflower project in 2001. anniversary activities arranged by Sallandus.
Bruno: ‘Sallanders are an active folk, bubbling with energy. When The rivalry between the bridges can be compared to the age-old
you harness that vitality for the promotion of Salland, it’s amazing what competition between the various villages in Salland. It’s part of local
can happen. culture. ‘Can they get more people on the bridge in Lemelerveld than
The LangsteLenteLicht is the kind of project that gives Sallanders in Raalte? And will there be just as many in Schalkhaar as in Deventer?’
the opportunity to show their mutual solidarity. To see the canal in a These kinds of questions were used to encourage businesses, clubs, and
different way; soon the long ribbon of light will be a memory that’s hard other groups to take part. And it worked.
to forget.
his project can only work if there is maximum public participa- Our time, past time, relativity, eternity
tion. That’s why we recruited a bridge foreman for each bridge. They Would we take part in Oerol in 2008 or perhaps not? Yes, SLeM gave
insure that as many people as possible light a lantern every twenty-five acte de présence for a fourth time at Terschelling. From June 12 through
meters. There will be a thousand people along the whole canal. And in 22, a group of three hundred metal silhouettes migrated for eleven
between them, torches also need to be placed. The special Taiwanese days, morning to evening, along the North Sea shore of Terschelling
lanterns are attached to stakes so that together with the torches they
form one 20 kilometer-long LangsteLenteLicht.’
Each bridge foreman made an effort to recruit as many volunteers
for their bridge as they could. The rest of Salland were also invited to
come to the canal that evening. It was also possible to contact the
bridge foremen and sign up to help by email. Why did people do that?
Because they wanted to join in a unique project. Something that had
never been seen before. A LangsteLenteLicht poem was written and
recited at every bridge party. After a day of storm and rain which almost
cancelled the whole event, the sky miraculously cleared. The first light
that appeared was a full moon and the entire logistics ran like clock-
work. Not only was the longest spring light ever seen conjured up out of
the darkness, it was also literally the most longest party ever – twenty
kilometers long.

Competition on the bridges

The whole project was recorded by SLeM’s regular film makers, Andras
Hamelberg and Heinerich Kaegi. Seated high in a crane they filmed the
62 2008 - langstelentelicht 63
64 2008 - opdrift 65
from Oosterend to the Groene Strand in West-Terschelling. At least, together, sometimes they formed one long snaking line, sometimes
that was the plan. Each of the silhouettes carried a ‘wise saying’ with walking off into the surf, or looking out to sea from the dunes. The public
it. To obtain these ‘wise sayings’ the general public were asked via a was assisted in this heavy task by a SLeM-team made up of specially
chain-letter email and several internet sites, to write in 10 words what instructed coaches, theatre makers and musicians.
they would like to say to the world about ‘time’, our time, past time, The group of silhouettes migrated along the shore. The Oerol public
relativity, eternity. TIME was the Oerol theme that year. They were also did not know the exact location of all the silhouettes even though they
given the chance to explain their saying in 100 words. The response was were responsible for getting them to Groene Strand before the end
overwhelming. Three hundred sayings were selected and laser cut into of the festival. A deferred encounter. Time was their inspiration and
the sides of the silhouettes. All the ‘wise-sayings’ and their explana- tension span. The iron army was already on its way before Oerol began.
tions were also published in a book sold at the SLeM book counter and in Visitors needed to be accompanied and persuaded to take the ‘time’ to
bookshops. The third SLeM book! walk with them. The approximate location of the silhouettes was posted
daily in the festival news and on both the Oerol and SLeM websites.
In reverse, with your back to the future The silhouettes were supposed to be part of Oerol’s festive closing, but
The silhouettes are relocated by the public, preferably by walking would they make it?
backwards: ‘Contrariness, the way we move towards what awaits It didn’t quite go according to plan: twenty kilometers was a bridge
us.’ The Platonic cave brought into movement, with one’s back to too far, too difficult for a public who were willing enough to relocate the
the invisible future. Sometimes the silhouettes were bunched close silhouettes, but not across the distances we had planned. Six kilometers
and not a meter further. This still meant that the silhouettes, 300 x 6,
had travelled a total of 1800 kilometer, backwards. That is still no small
feat.

Storm as dramatic power (again)

The day before the festival’s closing event dawns, fourteen kilometers
was too far to walk. The silhouettes were loaded into trucks and brought
to the Groene Strand festival grounds on West Terschelling. They were
placed in the sand once again, standing like an imposing group waiting
for the party to start. The wind interfered once more: it developed
into a severe sandstorm that caused the celebrations to be cancelled.
The sea rose engulfing the steadfast silhouettes among the surf. It is
a shame about the closing event but in their own way the silhouettes
were surprisingly indomitable. It was a strange, unintended, beautiful
spectacle. After Oerol, the silhouettes were also shown in Salland and
Heeze. We closed off the project in the Ketelhuis cinema in Amsterdam
with the premier of the film Opdrift by Andras Hamelberg which showed
how the silhouettes were made: cutting out the sayings, bending and
66 2008 - opdrift 67
welding the steel. These were also essential aspects of this interdisci- people who had submitted a saying wanted to have their own contribu-
plinary project, like the film itself. tion, forged in metal, for their garden.

Clock and trance The art of painting and painters

We were planning to introduce more theatrical elements, but it this Interdisciplinary methods of working are one of SLeM’s fundamental
was difficult because there was too little time and too few means. The principles, mentioned in its constitution. Landscape architecture, film
theater makers (Andrea Beugger, Brigitte Defaix and Philipp Schenker) and theater are disciplines already represented in the SLeM team.
and musicians (Paul Stouthamer and Eduardo Casals, the same as in With new projects we naturally first looked to musicians and costume
2006) were willing to join in the adventure even without preparation. designers to collaborate with. In Zomersprookjes we sought partner-
Our concept envisaged achieving moments of communal audience ships with literature and audio art. It was more widespread in Opdrift,
concentration three times a day held at the center of a group of silhou- the ‘wise-sayings’ about time were submitted by a miscellaneous
ettes. But the flow of people towards the silhouettes didn’t lend itself for public, although they did include writers and thinkers.
this idea; people didn’t walk in groups but in a row, one after the other. As a reaction to the theme of Oerol 2009 Gras tussen de planken,
Monumental, unapproachable groups formed where they planted the (Grass between the planks) Bruno has given the idea ‘color’ a central
silhouettes further along in the sand. Analogous to the extended line place by situating large painted objects in a landscape. SLeM members
formed by the public walking backwards, the performance space also welcomed the idea of a colorful landscape, especially because the art of
became drawn-out – the beach offered sufficient space. The players painting was being introduced as a discipline. The image envisaged was
converge towards a central spot, over long distances with megaphones ‘a landscape of large colorful paintings swaying in the wind’. A swarm of
blaring bits of music recorded earlier. Alternating, as each other’s echo, hundreds of Windnomaden.
they move closer. The fragments of music merge to form a melody at Each individual painting is rectangular in shape, measuring 135 x 76
the central point. Like on a treadmill, they endlessly repeated the same cm with an asymmetric split running along the entire width under a
theme with only the slightest variation. Those watching might associate slight angle, at a height of approximately 70 cm, like an opened book.
it with time, a clock. Until suddenly the trance is broken by a change in Hinges and an ingenious construction allow it to move in the wind.
direction and dynamics. The idea had to be materialized. Experiments with the construction
The stiffness of the silhouettes and their steely immovability forms of moving panels on a single support proved it could be done. The simple
a sharp contrast with the vulnerability of human contact. They’re not description above does no justice to the ups and downs of trial runs; the
exactly huggable; if you did embrace one, it seemed to stiffen even failures, bent material and blown-away test paintings that were all part
more from the shock. We meekly succumb, but sometimes explosively of the production process.
rejecting their hard identity is equally natural. The art of painting then. This time clearly connected with music
and less so, but still evident, with location-theater; now in the shape
For sale of ‘attendants ’ part of the permanent staff for private viewings. Why
Like the glass shells, we sold the silhouettes during and after Oerol, should the opening of an exhibition be exclusively for the invited? Every
mostly to those who visited the installation. A number were also sold via visitor deserves a private viewing. This is why the public are greeted
the SLeM website; eighty percent of all the silhouettes were sold. Some twice a day as if they were the first visitors. With the turning of the

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tides, as if SLeM was personally responsible. The art exhibition opening Complex organization
as ritual. The organization needed to accomplish these kinds of projects is incred-
Ever since Dansendwoud, we have been convinced that the public ibly complicated. The films made about the Jaarringen, Zomersprookjes
in SLeM’s temporary landscapes are themselves the most important and Opdrift projects made this clear to a certain degree. Windnomaden
players in the theatrical situations they create. has been no different. How can we obtain lots of different paintings?
Quotes from the original proposal: We relied on past-proven methods and mailed all our relations from
‘The opening of Windnomaden: everyone takes off their shoes, former projects, even former lives, and asked if they knew painters that
rolls up the legs of their trousers and, following the guides, walks bare- might want to participate, maybe even themselves. We also appealed
foot between the wind nomads towards the middle over the drying tidal to artists to participate though our Oerol website. The response was
sand flats.’ overwhelming: more than five hundred painters applied and agreed to
‘Beautifully set tables with bottles of white wine and oysters abide by the strict conditions. More than seventy percent of the artists
stand in the middle.’ who responded are professionals. The Oerol theme of Gras tussen de
‘A damp, private viewing of the landscape amongst the Windno- planken was translated by SLeM as ‘growing in the face of adversity ’,
maden, with live music.’ ‘acknowledging color’ and ‘the importance of tenacity’. Those were the
Reality always turns out to be different than the first proposals but mottos the painters were given to work with.
those original ideas do form the basis of a process that when imple-
mented reflects them in the final result. The fact that we aimed at SLeM’s survival
recruiting 150 participating artists and end up with 400 just goes to Growing in the face of adversity holds true for SLeM as well. How are
show how dynamic things can get once the fuse is lit. True to tradition, SLeM’s projects financed, actually? Naturally, that varies from project to
the premiere coincides with the opening of the Oerol festival. Sometime
in the spring before the festival began, a photo session with the artists
took place at a secret location in Holland for the SLeM book Temporary
Landscapes. The installation will travel to other locations after Oerol.

Holding on to time
During the development and completion of Windnomaden, film
maker Andras Hamelberg worked tirelessly on his contribution almost
unnoticed. Once again it featured images the public don’t get a chance
to see during the installation, the creation of the paintings and discus-
sions with the artists. When the project disappears, like every time-
based work, he still retains it intact and his personal style of editing
safeguards the event for the future. For posterity. His poetic film
accounts are the key to SLeM’s past. And that completes the circle, for
without the temporary landscapes there would be no film.

72 2009 - windnomaden 73
project. Often a contribution from Oerol, sometimes a small subsidy but project had been viewed it was chosen as one of the contributions to
by far the most money is generated by the sale of the objects created to the Dutch manifestation at the festivities marking Manhattan’s 400 year
shape the landscape. This was the case with the shells, the silhouettes anniversary in New York. This is part of the New Amsterdam Festival
and the wind nomads. It would simply be impossible to finance SLeM if during the Hudson year. Other countries and places are also interested
objects were not made in such large editions. Nor do entrance fees offer in the Windnomaden project.
a solution, being at odds with SLeM principles. The SLeM landscapes are What is remarkable about the Windnomaden project is that the
surprising for their panoramas and reject all boundaries. SLeM team, that came together with Jaarringen in 2006, still consists of
The fact that the person who takes the initiative for a SLeM project the same people, namely (in alphabetical order): Onno Brand, Eduardo
is also financially responsible, including any financial deficits, makes it Casals, Brigitte Defaix, Bruno Doedens, Dominique Doedens, Andras
perfectly clear that cultural entrepreneurship is not about profit making Hamelberg, Theo Heldens, Suzan Hidding, Heinerich Kaegi, Bastiaan Lips,
but realizing the project concerned. Therefore, a purely artistic invest- Hanninka Luitwieler, Corine Ruigrok, Philipp Schenker, Paul Stouthamer,
ment. Peter Vanhellemont, Veronique Vetjens, Frits Vogels, Yana Volovich,
To make a project cost-effective by selling a large number of objects Ariaan Witteveen.
leads initially to creative solutions. But it jeopardizes SLeM’s artistic Without their active dedication, almost selfless support and convic-
development because the method used during past years has grown tion that these projects had to be realized, SLeM would not exist. And
ragged and SLeM risks becoming a prisoner of its own formula. That could not continue to exist.
must be avoided at all costs. SLeM must take a different direction in
2010, and find a new way to survive financially. The plans have not yet
been finalized.

Fame
SLeM’s reputation began to grow quite considerably by the beginning
of 2009. In the first place at Oerol, of course, where SLeM has become a
household word. Every new SLeM project now receives attention even
before the public has a chance to see it. SLeM has also left tracks outside
of Oerol. Particularly Zomersprookjes, which made thirteen spectacular
stops along the coast. Many local newspapers and regional TV programs
spoke with amazement about the glass landscape.
In Salland, where Bruno and Dominique Doedens have strong
ties, they also speak appreciatively about SLeM when thinking back
to wonders of ‘social energy’ harnessed for Een Bloeiend Dorp and
LangsteLenteLicht.
It is not only self-initiatives that have reaped rewards, there are
frequent outside requests for SLeM to repeat a project or start a new
one. This is also true of the 2009 Windnomaden project. Even before the
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 1999: Ontijtijd - A theatrical landscape performance held before and
during sunrise, near Ans, Terschelling. Oerol 1999.
Production: Griftheater, in cooperation with Oerol Festival Terschelling,
DS landschapsarchitecten; performers/players: Mark Bellamy, Brigitte
Defaix, Audrey Helwes, Philipp Schenker, Andrea Wittchen (also singer);
SLeM Productions musicians: Johannes Ammon (steel harp), Paul Stouthamer (compo-
sition and cello); extras: volunteers from Terschelling; design and
1996: Prachtgleis I - short video film. realization: Erik van Raalte; costume design and production: Hanninka
Production: DS landschapsarchitecten (Maike van Stiphout, Bruno Luitwieler; technical and general production: Marnix Kuling; producer:
Doedens), Griftheater. Performers/players: Jan Taks, Brigitte Defaix (also Jan Deinema; photography: Bob van Dantzig; video: Heinerich Kaegi;
see 2003); directors: Andras Hamelberg, Frits Vogels. script/ mime choreography/director: Frits Vogels.

1996: Bosfabriek - proposal for an event on and around the Ijburg 2000: Prachtgleis IV - short video film of the Potsdamer Platz transfor-
experimental island, awarded second place – not realized. mation – edited takes from 1999 and 2000.
Design: Bruno Doedens, Maike van Stiphout (DS landschapsarchitecten) Production: DS landschapsarchitecten, Griftheater; performers/players:
and Frits Vogels (Griftheater). Jan Taks, Brigitte Defaix; guest performer: Rolf Kasteleiner; directors:
Andras Hamelberg, Frits Vogels.
1997: Prachtgleis II - short video film of the Potsdamer Platz transformation.
Production: DS landschapsarchitecten (Maike van Stiphout, Bruno 2001: Bosoase - one the 10 winners of the Museumbos competition for
Doedens), Griftheater; performers/players: Jan Taks, Brigitte Defaix; 10 lots, one hectare each, in BOSLAND, Almere.
directors: Andras Hamelberg, Frits Vogels. Submission: Bruno Doedens on behalf of DS and Frits Vogels
(Grif­theater).
1998: Prachtgleis III - short video film of the Potsdamer Platz transfor-
mation. 2001: Een Bloeiend Dorp - 200.000 sunflowers in Heeten – a temporary
Production: DS landschapsarchitecten, Griftheater; performers/players: landscape made by the inhabitants themselves to celebrate Heeten’s
Jan Taks, Brigitte Defaix; guest performer: Maike van Stiphout; directors: 40th Pony Week.
Andras Hamelberg, Frits Vogels. From an idea by Bruno Doedens; with: workgroup Helianthus -
Dominique Doedens, Ton Elders, Gerard Klein Koerkamp, Wim Mensink,
1998: Kerkbrink in Hilversum (film: Convoi Exceptionnel). Opening of the Gerda Vloedgraven, Willy Voorhorst and Giny Wagemans, supported by
redeveloped square. DS and many volunteers.
In collaboration with DS landschapsarchitecten, visual artist Shlomo
Koren, Griftheater, film-makers Andras Hamelberg and Heinerich Kaegi, Publication: Heeten, een bloeiend dorp - An illustrated and photo-
composer Paul Stouthamer and lighting designer Erik van Raalte; script by graphed account.
Gerrit Kouwenaar and Theodor Holman; read by Wouter Steenbergen; final Published by: Werkgroep Helianthus & DS landschapsarchitecten;
direction Frits Vogels. compilation: Werkgroep Helianthus; design: Theo Heldens.
76 77
2002: H2O/Danubiana/H2O - international interdisciplinary kinetic 2005: Dansendwoud - landscape installation of 7500 ‘reeds’.
installation on two adjacent peninsulas in the Danube, including Museum Production: SLeM (Stichting Landschapstheater en Meer) in cooperation
Danubiana. with Oerol Festival; realization: Bruno Doedens (idea), Frits Vogels and
Coproduction: Griftheater, Festival Bratislava v Pohybe, Mamapapa many friends and passers-by.
(Prague), TOACA (Bucharest) and Contemporary Dance Ass. / Bratislava DVD cinematographer and editing: Heinerich Kaegi.
in Movement Ass (both from Bratislava); auspices: Moving Academy
for Performing Arts / Ide van Heiningen / Mireille van Loon; interna- 2006: Africado - a series of landscape installations created during
tional cast with performers/players/technicians from: Romania, Latvia, travels along the west coast of north Africa.
Switzerland, Poland, Czech Republic, Iceland, Slovakia and Croatia; video: Realization: Bruno Doedens (idea, photography) and Onno Brand (video)
Ide van Heiningen; director: Frits Vogels. and coincidental enthusiasts.

2002: Monologen aan zee - Oerol Festival, Terschelling (design). 2006: Grif van studio tot landschap - 28 years of movement theatre (on
Project proposal by DS - Bruno Doedens (idea) in collaboration with Frits location). With DVD.
Vogels (Griftheater). Published by: SLeM / Theater Instituut Nederland; by: Frits Vogels
(author); Theo Heldens (design); Ymke Vogels (editor); Photography:
2003: Opening of Tilla-Durieux-Park with the Prachtgleis film and a live Maarten Brinkgreve, Bob van Dantzig, Christine Dillworth, Ben van Duin,
per­formance. Production: DS landschapsarchitecten, Griftheater; live per­for- Edda Treuberg, among others.
mance: performers/players: Aleksandar Acev, Mathias Hille, Elvira Newiera, DVD-compilation: Andras Hamelberg.
Sandra Pauly; music: the female percussion ensemble ‘Rainhas de Norte’
conducted by Neide Alves Pilger; bulldozer operators: firma Otto Kittel; 2006: Jaarringen - a 400-meter diameter temporary landscape of
technician: Peter Hofmann; mime choreography/director: Frits Vogels; circles for Oerol Festival’s 25th anniversary.
DVD/film: performers/players: Brigitte Defaix, Jan Taks (1996-2002), Idea and final responsibility for the sculpture: Bruno Doedens; organi-
Aleksandar Acev, Sandra Pauly (2003), Maike van Stiphout (guest zation: SLeM (Stichting Landschapstheater en Meer), Oerol Festival,
performer), Rolf Kasteleiner (guest performer), construction workers; Terschelling; concept: Bruno Doedens, Frits Vogels, Andras Hamelberg,
cinematographers: Andras Hamelberg, Merit Fakler; editing: Andras Brigitte Defaix, Jan Taks; director of spectators’ walk: Brigitte Defaix
Hamelberg; music: Paul Stouthamer (composition and cello); sound: Jaap (head), Philipp Schenker; guides: Brigitte Defaix, Philipp Schenker and
Lindijer; production: DS - Bruno Doedens, Maike van Stiphout, Grifthe- students from the Inez Almeida theatre school, Floor van Leeuwen,
ater; director: Andras Hamelberg, Frits Vogels. Ariadna Rubio Lleó, Daan Simons; continuity: Yana Volovich, Veronique
Vetjens, Bruno Doedens; musical composition and performance: Paul
Publication: Tilla-Durieux-Park, Potsdamer Platz Berlin. Stouthamer (head), Eduardo Casals; costume design and production:
Authors: Tobias Woldendorp, Frits Vogels, Thies Schröder; published by: Hanninka Luitwieler; video registrations: Andras Hamelberg (head),
DS landschapsarchitecten; design: Theo Heldens. Heinrich Kaegi, Nico Haantjes; sound: Ines de Brito, Heinerich Kaegi;
photography: Gerrit Bart Volgers, Frederieke Jochems, Bruno Doedens,
2004/5: Kras in het bos - een circle van de trage tijd (design). Marc Vreuls; graphic design: Theo Heldens; bulldozers: Firma’s Trip-Hek,
Design: Bruno Doedens (idea) and Frits Vogels. Hoekstra-Reitsma; production/technique/catering: Veronique Vetjens,
78 79
Bruno Doedens, Frits Vogels, Corine Ruigrok, Bastiaan Lips, Peter Publication: Zomersprookjes, reuzenschelpen vertellen verhalen uit zee
Vanhellemond, Yana Volovich. DVD/film: Andras Hamelberg. - compilation of all the tales and poems from the shells.
Published by: SLeM / Thieme Art; authors: all the above mentioned
2007: Zomersprookjes – giant glass shells tell tales from the sea (from writers and poets; compilation: Bruno Doedens; design: Theo Heldens.
Terschelling to Zeeland Flanders).
Initiative and organization: SLeM - Stichting Landschapstheater en Meer; 2008: LangsteLenteLicht - one 20-kilometer elongated light along the
idea and artistic direction: Bruno Doedens; production: Bruno Doedens, Overijssels Kanaal for its 150th jubilee (start of the festivities).
Sharon Sprenger, Mireille van Loon, Theo Heldens, Frits Vogels, Marika Realization: Bruno Doedens (idea), Stichting Sallandus - Dominique
Grieco Nobile, Veronique Vetjens; zomersprookjes-travel team: Onno Doedens, Harrie Kiekebosch, Rob te Wierik, and two thousand Sallanders.
Brand, Catja Bode, Brigitte Defaix, Bruno Doedens, Dominique Doedens, DVD: compilation: Andras Hamelberg; camera: Andras Hamelberg and
Robert Fissers, Bastiaan Lips, Corine Ruigrok, Philipp Schenker, Peter Heinerich Kaegi.
Vanhellemont, Veronique Vetjens, Frits Vogels, Yana Volovich, Richard
Winkelmeijer, Ariaan Witteveen and many volunteers; costume design 2008: Opdrift - a shifting installation of ‘wise-silhouettes’, Terschelling.
and production: Hanninka Luitwieler; glass shells: Van Tetterode Glasob- Organization: SLeM – Bruno Doedens (idea and general manager);
jecten Amsterdam - Richard Price; wooden boxes : Kistenfabriek de opdrift-project team: Onno Brand, Bruno Doedens, Dominique Doedens,
Boer Zaandam; video registration: Andras Hamelberg, Heinerich Kaegi, Marnix Hamelberg, Suzan Hidding, Jason Fitzgerald , Bastiaan Lips,
Onno Brand; editing: Andras Hamelberg; photography: Bruno Doedens, Corine Ruigrok, Peter Vanhellemont, Frits Vogels, Yana Volovich, Richard
Yana Volovich; writers, poets and sound artists: Bram Bakker, Anne La Winkelmeijer, Ariaan Witteveen, Robbert, many friends and Oerol
Berge, Jan van Bergen, Marieke Berkers, Erik Bindervoet, Matthijs van volunteers; wise sayings: submitted by the public; performers: Andrea
Boxsel, Tsead Bruinja, Frans Budé, Ron Bunzl, Chris Corstens, Maria van Beugger, Brigitte Defaix, Philipp Schenker; musicians/music: Eduard
Daalen, Paul Devens, Henk Dits, Fidessa Docters van Leeuwen, Renate Casals, Paul Stouthamer; director: Frits Vogels; film director/cinema-
Dorrestein, Cathy van Eck, Corine Elemans, Elsbeth Etty, Kester Freriks, tographer: Andras Hamelberg; 2nd camera: Heinerich Kaegi; editing:
Cor Fuhler, Hélène Gelèns, Rebecca Gomperts, Hans Groenewegen, Gert Andras Hamelberg - Franjo Studio; costume design and production:
Hage, Kristien Hemmerechts, Robbert-Jan Henkes, Rozalie Hirs, Gerrit Hanninka Luitwieler; photography: Bruno Doedens, Yana Volovich; sound
Hoogstraaten, Hubert-Jan Horrocks, Caspar Jacobs, Atte Jongstra, Jaap recording and editing: Bastiaan Lips, Andras Hamelberg; design and
van Keulen, Pamela Koevoets, Marjolijn van Kooten, Liesbeth Lagemaat, silhouette construction supervision: Bruno Doedens; prototype develop-
Marije Langelaar, Joke van Leeuwen, Aleida Leeuwenberg, Frénk van der ment: Cees Doedens, Bruno Doedens; laser cut sayings into silhouettes:
Linden, Bastiaan Lips, Jannah Loontjens, Jillis Molenaar, Wanda Reisel, Disselhorst Raalte; silhouette base: Aloys Elders Heeten; bending and
Joyce Roodnat, Liesje Schreuders, Roos van Sen, Coen Simon, Albertina welding silhouettes: Suzan Hidding, Yana Volovich, Ward Kreykamp;
Soepboer, Sarah van Sonsbeeck, Frédérique Spigt, Sophie van der Stap, graphic design: Theo Heldens.
Ilse Starkenburg, Jan Terlouw, Mark van Tongele, Diet Verschoor, Joop
Visser, Hannes Wallrafen, Johannes Warndorff, Dato de Weerd, Anne Publication: Opdrift, wijze silhouetten trekken langs de kust van Terschelling
Wellmer, Kees Wennekendonk, Frits Wester, Rogi Wieg, L.H. Wiener, - compilation of 300 ‘wise-sayings’ of the SLeM Opdrift project.
Damian Zangger, Ben Zwaal, Miek Zwamborn; educational programme: Authors: public and relations; published by: SLeM / Thieme Art; compila-
Véronique Vetjens, Tilly de Jong. DVD/film: Andras Hamelberg. tion: Bruno Doedens; design: Theo Heldens.
80 81
2009: Windnomaden - a colourful landscape of paintings swaying in the Dubbeldam - de Jong, Gerard te Wierik, Gerard W. Rietbergen, Gerardt ‘t
wind. Hart, Gerda van Bockxmeer, Gerry de Lang, Gilmario da Silva, Gitta Pardoel,
Organisation: SLeM - Bruno Doedens (idea and general manager). SLeM Greetje van den Akker, Greetje.W. de Jong, Grietje van der Velde, Grytsje
-project team: Onno Brand, Brigitte Defaix, Bruno Doedens, Dominique Jorritsma, Gustave Nouel, Stijn, Han Reeder, Hanna van Wel, Hanneke van
Doedens, Marnix Hamelberg, Sara van Eif, Suzan Hidding, Bastiaan Lips, der Werf, Hans Derksen, Hans Homan, Hanshan Roebers, Harry Pierce, Heidi
Corine Ruigrok, Peter Vanhellemont, Frits Vogels, Yana Volovich, Veronique de Geus, Hein Kuipers, Helene Smit, Helga van der Meulen, Helna van
Vetjens, Ariaan Witteveen, many friends and Oerol volunteers; musicians Stiphout, Henk Hoenderdos , Hennie J.Dijk-Stel, Hilda Boer, Hilke Lagrand,
and composition: Paul Stouthamer, Eduardo Casals, Johannes Ammon; Hinke Huisman, Hoshyar Rasheed, Ilse Brul, Ilse van den Berk, Ina de Lizer,
costume design and production(coverings): Hanninka Luitwieler; DVD/film: Ineke Spork, Inge Bos, Inge Nijhof, Ingerid Opstelten, Ingrid Massing, Irene
Andras Hamelberg; artists: Aad Ledeboer, Ajo van IJzeren, Albert Röllich, Jacobs, Irene Keyzer, Irene Schaap, Iris v’t Bosch, Isa Gama, Ivo Winnubst,
Aldert veltman, Aleida Leeuwenberg, Aleksandra Popovska, Ali Rashid, Alie Ivon Spee, Jaap Luiting, Jaap Simonis, Jackie Bouw, Jacolien de Jong,
Günther, Andrea Marostegan, Anja Knoopers, Anja Vosdingh Bessem, Anjo Jacqueline Stubenitsky, Jan Enklaar, Jan Groenhart, Jan Jaap Waverijn, Jan
van Oosterhout, Anna Efdée, Anna van Duin, Anna van Vliet, Anne-M. Jippe van Herrikhuijzen, Jan Smeekens, Jan Willem Campmans, Jan Willem
Bonte, Anneke Bagerman, Anneke de Vries, Annelies van der Stel, Annelies van Doorn, Janine van Veen, Jeanette Nijland, Jeanine Wubbels, Jeroen
Viegers , Annemarie Eijsvogels, Annemarie Noorderwerf, Annemarie Brugmans, Jesse van Gurp , Jettie Joosten, Jitty Gunnink-Offringa, Joan
Rozendal, Annemarie van Hooff, Annemarie Voets, Annemoon van Steen, Drent, Joanna Paree, Johan Arp, Johanneke Sanders, Joke Cofino, Joke
Annet Bakker, Anneth Bolt, Annette Terpstra, Ans Derks, Arend Halfsteen, Proper, Joke Schepers, Joke Stapensea, Joost Thissen, Joost van der Krogt,
Arja de Wit, Lilian van Soest, Astrid van Straaten, Atelier Paspartoe, Barbara Joris Wille, Jos van Westing, Jose Verstappen, Joyce Hellemans-van Seeters,
Houwers, Bard Sloven, Barend Slettenaar, Baukje Hylkema, Bea Koenis, Judith Vetjens, juliette kalse, Jur Engelsman, Juul Helms, Karen Opstelten,
Beatrice van der Meer, Beatrix van Haren, Beppie Lotterman, Bert-René Karien Melman, Karin Benning, Karin Boers, Katie Klopper, Katrine van
Brinkman, Bettie Spits, Birgit van Beek, Boban Krstic, Carla Hoogenbosch, Klaveren, Kees van Eunen, Khalid Al-saraf, Kiki Visser, Mia Koeneman,
Caro Kroon, Carolien Kiekens-Kuijt, Carolien Schot, Caroline de Win, Lenie Bos, Leo Lemmens, Leo van der Ploeg, Leonoor Vos-Heugen,
Caroline van der Burg, Caroline vd Ven, catharina van der werff, Chrisje van Leontien Leferink, Leticia Sokolowski, Lia Blok, Lidy Rensink, Liesbeth Bos,
der Heyden-Ronde, Christien Bugel, Ciska Jonkers, Co van Assema, Cobi Liesje van den Berk, Lily Bisschop, Linda Anderson, Linda Moerland, Loes
v.d. Kuit-Blokker, Cobie Bremer, Coby den Haan, Connie van der Hel- Toet, Munninghoff, Loes Vreedeveld, Lonia Scholvinck, Luci Gorell Barnes,
Connie van Winssen, Cora Peerdeman, Corine de Man - van Tol, Corine Lucienne KLeverlaan, Lucius, Lucy Auch, Lucy van de Leemkolk, Luke de
Ruigrok, Cyrill Koolen, Dick Rietkerk, Dieuwer Elema, Doran Cruijsen, Jong, Lydia Jonkman, Maaike Wiarda, Maartje Mars, Maartje van den noort`,
Dorette Evers, Dorus Tossijn, Edward Brantsen, Eliane Hulsink, Elisabeth Machteld Aardse, Maddy Rentenaar, Madelon de la Rive Box, Maja Boot,
Kaldeway, Elisabeth Woudstra, Ellen Schermer, Ellen Tromp, Ellen Wels, Ellis Manou haak, Marc Volger, Marcel Verbrugge, Marcelle Schoenmaker, Marel
Mensinga, Elly Maris-van Wel, Els Dekker, Els Fleer, Emmy Buys, Eric Don, Alkema, Marga von Bannisseht, Margje Kuyper, Margreet de Bruin, Margriet
Erica Huber, Erika Veld, Erna Burks, Ernestine Janzen, Ernst Bos , Esmée Groenewold, Margriet van Veen, Maria Donata Papadia, Maria Madelon van
Thomassen, Esther Hendriks, Esther Meijer, Evert Esselink, Ewa Stroes, Velthoven, Marian Bax, Marianne Aulman, Mariëlle Dijkstra, Marina Metaal,
Femke Verduin, Fenmei Hu, Ferial Kheradpicheh, Ferrie Moene, Floor Kraan, Mariu Sananikone, Marius Langerak, Marja Ormeling, Marjan Kok, Marjolein
Foke Stribos, Frank Scholte, Frans Albers, Frans Polman, Franz Hazelzet, Innemee, Mark Pol, Marketa Kreckova, Martine Berkenbosch, Marycke J.
Gaby Houweling, Gea Jaeggi-Veldhuis, Gea Miljoen, Geertje Klaver , Gera Naber, Merel Visser, Micheal Mazurel, Michelle Buffart, Michiel Kroonenberg,
82 83
Mieke Dijkman, Mieke Heesbeen, Mieke Koenen, Milly Betten, Miriam Farré, Hidding and Ward Kreykamp (Knutselparadijs) - Amsterdam, with Anton
Miriam Weisz, Mo Swillens, Monica Streep, Monieque Hendrikx, Monique Abbes, Jet van Heteren, David Jansen, Daniel Nosei, Hoshyar Rasheed and
Tulp, Monique Turk, Mycke Benschop, Myrrhe van Spronsen, Myrte Voogt, Yana Volovich; suppliers for the metal construction: W. Burger & zonen,
Naomi Warmer, Nathalie Weel, Nelleke Bosland, Netty Gelijsteen, Netty ijzerwaren - Amsterdam; kabel - Zaandam, Slo-Rid machinefabriek -
Lamers, Nicole van den Kroonenberg, Nicolle Schatborn, Nora Muller-van Amsterdam, J. Op Den Velde - Hoorn; wooden chests: Kistenfabriek De Boer
Wel, Olga Bohnsack, Olga Grütters, Olivia O’ Keeffe, Panos Mitsopoulos, - Zaandam; location for the trial installation: Zeeburg city district -
Patricia Ramaer, Paul Doedens, Paula Bos, Pauline Verkuijlen, Peter Bremer, Amsterdam; production of the giant Windnomaden cloth: Pet - Hoogeveen;
Peter Hiemstra, Peter Klein, Peter van Harmelen, Peter Visser, Petra Voots, giant Windnomaden cloth in Harlingen terminal: Doeksen - Harlingen;
Pieter Boxman, Pim Trooster, Piotr Gardecki, Rachel de boer, Rana Berends, windnomaden price determination: Ronald Koster - Wassenaar and Gerard
Randolph John Schwidder, Raoul Chailloux, Raoul de Haan, Rebecca Geskus, W. Rietbergen - Gouda; windnomaden at Oerol: Oerol Festival -
Rein Blank, Reinder van der Woude, Reinharda Drijfhamer, Renee Hogeland, Terschelling.
Ria Diercks Kroon, Rian Eijgenhuijsen-van Nieuwkerk, Rineke Wartena, Rita The Windnomaden project has also been made possible by:
Nanne, Rob Komen, Rob Valkenburg, Rob van den Broek, Robert Roelink, FCSF - Fries Cultuur en Sport Fonds and Exsin Groep, represented by
Robert Rost, Roel Hoogenboom, Roel Walta, Rogier Janssen, Rombout Harry Wolkenfelt; Thieme Art: Marloes Waanders, Ellen Brinkman and Piet
Oomen, Ron Spronk, Rose Casella, Rosemarijn Daaleman, Rozemarijn Sloot; Oerol Festival Terschelling: Joop Mulder, Janneke Staarink, Kees
Mulder, Rudolf Valster, Ruth Bugel, Ruth van de Pol, Ruud Lanfermeijer, Lusuis, Ada Plinck, Nadin Topal and many Oerol staff members.
Ruud Oeben, Sander van der Linden, Sanne Kruithof, Sasja Bork, Saskia
Burleson, Saskia Rosendaal, Saskia Visser, Simone Bosch, Simone Stawicki, Publication: Windnomaden catalogue – a collection of 382 Wind nomad
Sita Geerling, Sjaak Kooij, Sonya Wilson, Studio Duijf – Sanne, Sunny Neeter, paintings.
Suzanne Bo, Sybilla Tonissen, Sylvia Thijssen, Tabitha Boekweit, Tali Farchi, Authors: the artists; published by: SLeM / Theime Art compilation: Bruno
Tessa M. de Graaf, Thea Boonstra, Thea Schenk, Tieneke van Montfort, Doedens; design: Theo Heldens
Tineke Hoepman, Tineke K. Laar, Tineke Vulto, Tirza Atsma, Tjitze IJdo, Ton DVD: SLeM films (ca. 30 minute and 2 minute versions). Convoi Excep-
Spanhaak, Trijnie Wierda, Trudy Frederiks, Twan van Schijndel, Ulla tionnel (1996); Bloeienddorp (2001); Prachtgleis (2003); Dansendwoud
Schirmbeck, Vera Jongejan, Viorica Cernica, Walter w. m. van Schagen, (2005); Jaarringen (2006); Zomersprookjes (2007); LangsteLenteLicht
Wanda Janota, Wia Bouma, Wieke Rodenhuis, Will Meeder, Willeke (2008); Opdrift (2008); Windnomaden (2009); For film credits, see www.
Stubenitsky, Willy Alferink, Willy Brugman, Wilma Hartkamp, Wilma slem.org.
Wagenaar, Wim Elzinga, Wim Zorn, Wipke Iwersen, Wouter Nijland, Wouter
van de Koot, Wytske Bolt, Yet Middelkoop, YvonneMaya Bakker, Zij aan Zij, Publications, available via the SLeM website: Een bloeiend dorp, 2002
ateliergroep (Cathleen de Jong, Jaqueline Collin, Sabrina van Diermen, Jesse Werkgroep Helianthus in collaboration with DS landsschapsarchitecten;
Visser, Ruben Gronthoud, Casper Slabbers, Jermaine Robles de Medina); Tilla-Durieux-Park (Prachtgleis), 2003, DS landschapsarchitecten; Grif
wind nomad design: Bruno Doedens; development prototype: Onno Brand, van studio tot landschap, 2006, SLeM / TIN; Zomersprookjes, 2007, SLeM
Bruno Doedens, Cees Doedens, Suzan Hidding, Ward Kreykamp; wooden / Thieme Art; Zomersprookjes documentation box, 2007, SLeM; Opdrift,
panels: Harry Vos (timber yard along the River Vecht) - Hardenberg primer 2008, SLeM / Thieme Art; Windnomaden, 2009, SLeM / Thieme Art;
and lacquer: Coen Jansen (Trimetaal Bouwverven), Akzo Nobel Decorative Temporary Landscapes, 2009, SLeM / Thieme Art
Coatings; development and production of the steel construction: Suzan
84 85
 SLeMteam

Onno Brand Eduard Cassals Brigitte Defaix

Colophon
Publisher Thieme Art, Deventer
SLeM – Stichting Landschapstheater en Meer
Idea and realization Bruno Doedens
Authors Gert Hage, Frits Vogels Dominique Andras
Text editor Jacques Poell, Veronique Vetjens Bruno Doedens Doedens Hamelberg Theo Heldens
English translation Su Wouda-Hanover
English text editor Gosse van der Leij
Photography Grif, DS landschapsarchitecten, SLeM
Design Theo Heldens
Printer PlantijnCasparie Zwolle
Hanninka
This book can also be downloaded from the SleM website: www.slem.org Suzan Hidding Heinerich Kaegi Bastiaan Lips Luitwieler

© 2009 SLeM / Thieme Art bv, Deventer

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, elec-
tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the
prior written permission of the publisher.
Peter
Corine Ruigrok Philipp Schenker Paul Stouthamer Vanhellemont
ISBN 978 90 78964 33 9
NUR 640, 651, 653

www.thiemeart.com
www.slem.org

Veronique
Vetjens Frits Vogels Yana Volovich Ariaan Witteveen