Where art comes to life

Where two worlds meet, interesting things happen. On the dike behind Pieterburen is a sculpture by Harm Blanken. The 'IJzeren Wadloper' looks out over the Wadden Sea in all weathers. A little further east is the Noordkaap, the northernmost tip of mainland Netherlands. Here stands the 'Poort Kaap Noord' by artist René de Boer. Anyone looking over the Wadden Sea here will understand why this work of art is usually called 'The Gate Hemelpoort'.

Artist and graphic designer Hans Gerritsen also enjoys visiting the coast. He paints abstract landscapes on cardboard. “The mudflats have always been a magnet for me, even before I came to live here. My top tips? Lots of people go to Noordpolderzijl, but if you drive a little further towards Valom, you can park your car at the Uithuizerwad car park. The view there is stunning. Or head to the dyke behind Westernieland. There, you can walk out onto the salt marshes right to the edge; it’s very inspiring.”

“For work, I cycle back and forth between Adorp and the city. The vastness of that horizon-filled landscape – a line between sky and earth – is, for me, an invitation to respond. It’s unpolished, sometimes bleak and muddy. And although it seems fairly simple, the landscape is always more surprising than you think. As soon as you delve into it, you see more. That’s very much like the character of the people of Groningen. You have to make an effort to get to know them.”

Hans is not the only artist in whose work the local landscape plays such an important role. In all kinds of galleries and studios, you can admire work by Waddenland artists who are inspired by their surroundings to varying degrees. For example, visit Trudy Beekman's studio in Warffum or go on a tour with one of the atelier routes: Route 99 and Atelier Route High North.

Hans: “I don’t paint with brushes, but with broad strokes. This style suits this landscape. Monumental. Substantial. As far as I’m concerned, it needs to be captured in large, direct lines. Take, for example, the journey from Groningen along the N361 towards Lauwersoog. The bend where you leave the city and the canal behind you. The light there. It’s as if a new page in the atlas is beginning. Suddenly, it feels more spacious. Wider, higher, deeper. The scale suddenly changes. That’s what I try to capture in my paintings too.”

Where Hans chooses the landscape, other artists choose the heritage, such as the silence of old churches. During the annual art project Monks' Work, a number of churches turn into studios. In July and August, artists work on their art project during the day. At night, the churches are open to the public. Another connection between art and church can be found in some churchyards. From a silhouette of a church in rebar at Wierhuizen Cemetery to a sign on the church wall of Zuurdijk: art-on-cemeteries project Op Hoogte Gedacht makes you reflect on the link between past and present.

“Many artists have a soft spot for Groningen, even if they hardly ever visit,” says Hans. So it’s hardly surprising that artists from outside the region also come to Waddenland for inspiration. Some of them settle here temporarily as ‘artists in residence’, for example in the old sexton’s house at the KunstKerk Hogeland in Warffum or amongst the other creative types at Wongema in Hornhuizen. Perhaps you don’t consider yourself an artist, but do enjoy getting creative? Creative workshops are held in all sorts of places.

Hans: “Compared to other landscapes, Groningen is relatively stable and flat. But it can also be a very unforgiving landscape. You need a certain kind of tenacity to make it here. The down-to-earth nature and perseverance of the people of Groningen; I think that comes from their landscape. That the land shapes who you are.” So just set off and let yourself be surprised. Whether you’re a professional or an amateur, you’re welcome here to gain a different perspective on the landscape.