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09/30/2005: "Hidden Lanes" by Adri AC de Fluiter
The idea for the art-in-nature project ‘Hidden Lanes’ begun in 2001. When I was visiting the location ‘De Manteling’, an nature reservation in the province Zeeland on the island Walcheren (the Netherlands). This location was in the ‘Golden Age’ of Holland a place where wealthy people erected there summerhouses with nice gardens and very large parks. After centuries most of the houses are gone. Only two remain. What was also remaining where the trees and plants with a structure of lanes. Oaklane, Beechlane etc.The tought was to ask international artists to deal with this. Think about projects with mostly natural material which are inspired by the idea ‘Hidden Lanes’. So after a long period of years a new organisation in the province Zeeland the Centre for Visual Art Zeeland, was able to give in February 2005 the starting sign.
I was lucky that some of the artists selected already in 2001 still were interested. Together with some new ones we were able to start working on the eight of July. The selected artists arrived that day in Domburg (the city where Mondriaan painted in earlier time). Together we were housed in hote De Burg in the center of the city and about 300 mtrs from the Nort Sea. On Friday most of the material was there and all the artist started working. We had not to much time because the opening was already planned on Saturday the 16th of Juli.
To make a trail with the ten different artworks was no problem. Every artists did like the given location very well.
So in order of the trail the artist working on site were: Marc de Roover (Belgium), Stephan Vee (Belgium), Carola Brunetti (Germany), Sung- Kyun Baek (Korea), Philippe Cusse (France), Adri A.C. de Fluiter (Netherlands), Kees Wijker (Netherlands), Teja van Hoften (Netherlands), Osamu Seo (Japan), Pat Warner (USA).The gods did look down in a good humour so the weather was all the time nice and sunny. One of the reasons that although it was a lot of work the art-pieces were finished just in time.
So the planned vernissage was also a great happening with some hundreds of guests. All walked the trail of about 3 kilometres accompanied by the sun. After that there was wine and other liquors with good music in the garden of the Biological Museum on the edge of the artsite. Part of this site is also a real castle. It is called Westhove. A wonderful medieval building temporary in use as a youth hostel.
Visitors and media has only very positive comments about this art-in-nature event which will stay there as long as it will be remaining well. At least till the first of November 2005.
People can visit the website www.cbkzeeland.nl with a brief information about the project.. Click ‘Verborgen Lanen’.
People who made this project a success were working for: Centre for Visual Art Zeeland and the State Forestry. It was a leasure to wotk with them and the participating artists. Once again we could prove the slogan ‘Art-in-nature a worldwide movement’
Adri A.C. de Fluiter
Artist/curator
defluiter@planet.nl
