
Between Blue Waves and Green Corridors
The impact of an educational project Filmscreening (70’) / panel discussion (50’) / fragments of a theatre performance
30 mei 2023 Auditorium ArtEZ → Oude Kraan 26, Arnhem
(archive)
Host: Catelijne de Muijnck
taal: English
After more than two years of discussions, Blauwe Golven (Blue Waves), the iconic environmental artwork by Peter Struycken in Arnhem is finally being renovated. Tussen Blauwe Golven en Groene Corridors (Between Blue Waves and Green Corridors), a film that started as an education project at BEAR, the fine art department of ArtEZ, played an important role in this.
Hans van Houwelingen was invited in 2018 by BEAR to do a workshop with students that researched the then-current municipal plans to destroy the artwork to make way for a new park. This grew into a two-year research project by an independently operating team of young artists and the making of the film from many hours of interviews with politicians, historians, local residents, schools, businesses, lawyers, heritage institutions, architects, art institutes, art lovers and art haters.
After screening the film, we will discuss the role the film played in the decision making process, the value of working in public space and doing research together in art education with the makers of the film: BEAR alumni Jack Engelbrecht and Bram Kuypers and visual artist Hans van Houwelingen. BEAR tutors Edward Thomson and Nils van Beek also join the discussion.
During the discussion Anna Nijenhuis, ArtEZ alumna Toneelschool, will bring some fragments of the theatre performance Blauwe Golven, that will premiere in May and is based on the film.
GUESTS:
Panel:
Hans van Houwelingen (artist), alumni BEAR Jack Engelbrecht and Bram Kuypers, Edward Thomson (co-head BEAR), Nils van Beek (tutor BEAR)
Moderator:
Saskia Korsten | ArtEZ Research Collective
Performance:
Anna Nijenhuis (theatremaker, alumna ArtEZ Toneelschool)
Hans van Houwelingen was invited in 2018 by BEAR to do a workshop with students that researched the then-current municipal plans to destroy the artwork to make way for a new park. This grew into a two-year research project by an independently operating team of young artists and the making of the film from many hours of interviews with politicians, historians, local residents, schools, businesses, lawyers, heritage institutions, architects, art institutes, art lovers and art haters.
After screening the film, we will discuss the role the film played in the decision making process, the value of working in public space and doing research together in art education with the makers of the film: BEAR alumni Jack Engelbrecht and Bram Kuypers and visual artist Hans van Houwelingen. BEAR tutors Edward Thomson and Nils van Beek also join the discussion.
During the discussion Anna Nijenhuis, ArtEZ alumna Toneelschool, will bring some fragments of the theatre performance Blauwe Golven, that will premiere in May and is based on the film.
GUESTS:
Panel:
Hans van Houwelingen (artist), alumni BEAR Jack Engelbrecht and Bram Kuypers, Edward Thomson (co-head BEAR), Nils van Beek (tutor BEAR)
Moderator:
Saskia Korsten | ArtEZ Research Collective
Performance:
Anna Nijenhuis (theatremaker, alumna ArtEZ Toneelschool)
FILM Tussen Blauwe Golven en Groene Corridors / Between Blue Waves and Green Corridors by Hans van Houwelingen and students (now alumni) ArtEZ BEAR
It all started in 2017 when the Municipality of Arnhem planned to demolish the artwork Blauwe Golven to make way for a new park-like layout, within its Creative Corridor or Green Corridor project. Several parties were active that either supported or wanted to prevent the demolition of the artwork.
In 2018 Hans van Houwelingen was invited by BEAR, the fine art department of ArtEZ in Arnhem to do a 6 week workshop with students that researched this situation. This grew into a two-year research project by an independently operating team of young artists, some of the involved ArtEZ students and Hans van Houwelingen made the film Tussen Blauwe Golven en Groene Corridors. The film has since been screened in leading contexts such as Sonsbeek 20-24, Dokumenta 15, and several national and international location. The aim of the film Tussen Blauwe Golven en Grone Corridors was to make the context in which this decision making process was taking place visible and tangible in a comprehensive video installation. The central question was how Dutch cultural heritage relate to the interests and responsibilities of its users and owners. What does cultural heritage mean, what is its value and who determines it? In short, which factors and actors determine the fate of cultural heritage?
From many hours of interviews with politicians, historians, local residents, schools, businesses, lawyers, heritage institutions, architects, art institutes, art lovers and art haters, one conclusion could be firmly drawn: Nobody could be found that knew exactly the rules and codes of conduct by which public art should be treated as cultural heritage in the Netherlands. Experts have more questions than answers. Stakeholders assembled arguments to further their causes. The video recordings indicate a spectacle of opinions and assumptions, often opportunistic in nature.
Usually, an artwork moves within a host of conventional institutional, cultural, economic and political frameworks. In this film, the roles are reversed, this framework plays the leading role and moves within the context of this artwork. All the actors we know as condition creators are here protagonists in an unfathomable drama. Not least, it is the interviewers themselves, the young artists who consistently also filmed themselves, who implicitly outline the contours of a new vulnerable generation in a hardened politicized artistic climate.
In 2018 Hans van Houwelingen was invited by BEAR, the fine art department of ArtEZ in Arnhem to do a 6 week workshop with students that researched this situation. This grew into a two-year research project by an independently operating team of young artists, some of the involved ArtEZ students and Hans van Houwelingen made the film Tussen Blauwe Golven en Groene Corridors. The film has since been screened in leading contexts such as Sonsbeek 20-24, Dokumenta 15, and several national and international location. The aim of the film Tussen Blauwe Golven en Grone Corridors was to make the context in which this decision making process was taking place visible and tangible in a comprehensive video installation. The central question was how Dutch cultural heritage relate to the interests and responsibilities of its users and owners. What does cultural heritage mean, what is its value and who determines it? In short, which factors and actors determine the fate of cultural heritage?
From many hours of interviews with politicians, historians, local residents, schools, businesses, lawyers, heritage institutions, architects, art institutes, art lovers and art haters, one conclusion could be firmly drawn: Nobody could be found that knew exactly the rules and codes of conduct by which public art should be treated as cultural heritage in the Netherlands. Experts have more questions than answers. Stakeholders assembled arguments to further their causes. The video recordings indicate a spectacle of opinions and assumptions, often opportunistic in nature.
Usually, an artwork moves within a host of conventional institutional, cultural, economic and political frameworks. In this film, the roles are reversed, this framework plays the leading role and moves within the context of this artwork. All the actors we know as condition creators are here protagonists in an unfathomable drama. Not least, it is the interviewers themselves, the young artists who consistently also filmed themselves, who implicitly outline the contours of a new vulnerable generation in a hardened politicized artistic climate.
Can't wait? Watch the movie here (online)
Tussen Blauwe Golven en Groene Corridors / Between Blue Waves and Green Corridors by Hans van Houwelingen and students (now alumni) ArtEZ BEAR
For more information visit:
behoudblauwegolvenarnhem.blogspot.com
behoudblauwegolvenarnhem.blogspot.com
THEATRE PERFORMANCE Blauwe Golven by Anna Nijenhuis (alumna ArtEZ Toneelschool)
From March 2023, Anna Nijenhuis has been creating the performance Blauwe Golven (Blue Waves), inspired by the film Between Blue Waves and Green Corridor. In the performance, she asks the question: who and what determines the value of art? The performance will premiere at Omstand, an exhibition space in Arnhem in the autumn 2023. It will then tour various museums around the country, including Museum Arnhem. In preparation for this performance, Anna went into residency at Theater aan de Rijn.
For more information and an interview with Anna visit: Anna Nijenhuis - Theater aan de Rijn
For more information and an interview with Anna visit: Anna Nijenhuis - Theater aan de Rijn


more in this series:
26 mrt. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
APRIA Lecture and Workshop with Feli Navarro & YiLing Hung, Arnhem
25 mrt. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
APRIA Lecture and Workshop with Feli Navarro & YiLing Hung, Zwolle
21 mrt. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
Performance ‘My home at the Intersection’ Abhishek Thapar / Afra Tafri Creations
10 mrt. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
Kitchen Telling Event: Lacuna Kitchen – Abhishek Thapar / Afra Tafri Creations
11 feb. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
Hidden stories – a storytelling method
05 feb. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
The Performance Night - Art & Technology
01 feb. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
Water’s Endlessness: the interview as research method in an expanded field of interlocutors
29 jan. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
Oneigenlijk gebruik; Een praktijkuitwerking van de kunstfilosofie van de kritische theorie
21 jan. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
Atlas van verhalen; Verhalen in kaart en (an)archief
17 jan. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
Luisteren als praktijk
09 jan. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
Live event: Provotyping Futures & (Non) Human Capital
09 jan. 2025 - Research in and through the arts
Levi Overvest presenteert artistiek onderzoek
17 dec. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Listening and serendipity as actors in improvisation
12 dec. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Master Exchange Research Day(s) 2024 by Corpo-real
12 dec. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Online event: Provotyping Futures & (Non) Human Capital
12 dec. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Charlotte Gillain presenteert artistiek onderzoek
12 dec. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Onderzoek voor onderwijsontwikkeling
11 dec. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Fabulation as Artistic Research Method
04 dec. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Practicing Criticality
29 nov. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Master Exchange Research Day(s) - by Qiyun Zheng
29 nov. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
AI (Art Intelligence) and/or AI (Artificial Intelligence)
28 nov. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Minisymposium: Prototyping Futures
06 nov. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
3. On the Contrary: Rethinking Engaged Art in an Age of Social Unrest
04 nov. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Master Exchange Research Day(s)
17 okt. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Ro Smit presenteert artistiek onderzoek
17 okt. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
2. On the Contrary: Rethinking Engaged Art in an Age of Social Unrest
11 okt. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
1. On the Contrary: Rethinking Engaged Art in an Age of Social Unrest
25 sep. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Lezing Patty Pontier: Beter is nog niet goed genoeg
25 apr. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Niet-mensen als leraren
11 apr. 2024 - Research in and through the arts
Het toeval in de canon
31 okt. 2023 - Research in and through the arts
Artistic Practice as Means for Investigation in Artistic Research
28 sep. 2023 - Research in and through the arts
APRIA Represents: Doing (Artistic) Research
13 jun. 2023 - Research in and through the arts
Doing Artistic research: Collective Making invites WIJ²
20 apr. 2023 - Research in and through the arts
Rainforest as Methodology: Workshop with Cruda Collective
05 dec. 2022 - Research in and through the arts
Doing (Artistic) Research with Suzanne Dikker, Yuliya Globa and Anne Rouwmaat in conversation with Saskia Korsten
13 okt. 2022 - Research in and through the arts
Doing (Artistic) Research: Martine van Lubeek and Sharon Stewart
03 okt. 2022 - Research in and through the arts
Expositie en interview Stan Frijsinger (Alumnus Creative Writing 2022)
18 nov. 2016 - Research in and through the arts