On June 6th 2022, the 11th edition of De Poorten van Reijmerstok, the international art biennial exhibition in Reijmerstok will take place. Due to corona, the event could not take place in 2020 and 2021. This had both negative social and financial consequences. The largest social activity disappeared, where hundreds of residents, artists and volunteers live and collaborate for months. Income fell away, as a result of which the association life of Reijmerstok and the surrounding area experienced significant financial losses.

Community art project
With a special and innovative art project, in the form of an active and creative cultural participation (community arts), residents and volunteers of Reijmerstok, under the guidance of artist Jonathan Wanders, are intensively involved in the creative process of developing, designing and manufacturing a temporary and permanent artwork in public space. A high-quality, recurring art biennial project as a visible, tangible and lasting social connection.

Social and community challenges
Together, the challenges in the social and community domain of the village of Reijmerstok and the event De Poorten van Reijmerstok are tackled by connecting through participation, hence the initiative of the art project with the main theme CONNECTING. We work together on something special and lasting for the community and region. In this way, a positive contribution is made to the mutual involvement of residents, as well as to the quality of life of the public space and Reijmerstok itself.

Goal
The aim of the art project is to promote social cohesion: rebuilding and strengthening cohesion for the long term by working together towards a common goal. The challenges in the social and community domain are tackled through a participative, innovative and recurring art project. In addition, the art project serves to generate more attention in a special way in the run-up to the De Poorten van Reijmerstok art event and to strengthen the event itself.

Process
From February 5, artist Jonathan Wanders will supervise, guide and work together with approximately 25 volunteers and residents of Reijmerstok (participants) to realize a high-quality art project. They participate (divided into working groups) in 10 brainstorming, design and creation sessions/workshops, in which they work together on the development, design and manufacture of a temporary and permanent work of art in the public space of Reijmerstok. The participants are involved in the entire process, as are the organizations of Poorten van Reijmerstok, Kernoverleg Reijmerstok and the Municipality of Gulpen-Wittem.

Pilot: a recurring project
The community art project Reijmerstok is part of the art biennial event Poorten van Reijmerstok, but it also stands on its own. The art project is a pilot for a recurring, biennial structural project in which the social and societal challenges are always central and meetings are facilitated during various knowledge, idea and design sessions. A win-win situation. In addition, this project is seen by the municipality of Gulpen-Wittem as an example project for the region, which they are happy to support and participate in. The knowledge and experience gained is gladly shared with other organizations and/or communities in the region.

News

• First meeting art project Reijmerstok in A Gen Ing // article De Limburger (NL) // 1 February 2022 (read the online version here)
• Who wants to collaborate to a new, permanent work of art in Reijmerstok? // article De Limburger (NL) // 17 december 2021 (read the online version here)

Title: Community art project Reijmerstok
Location: Reijmerstok (NL). Exact location is not yet known.
Process: February - September 2022.
Period of temporary artwork: May – June 2022.
Period of permanent artwork: From September 2022.
Dimensions and material temporary artwork: Not yet known.
Dimensions and material permanent artwork: Not yet known.
Financing: VSB fund, Prince Bernard Cultuurfonds, Municipality of Gulpen-Wittem, Province of Limburg, Stichting Kernoverleg Reijmerstok, Stichting Kanunnik Salden/Nieuwenhof, Kern met Pit.
Special thanks to: all participants from Reijmerstok, Terlinden and the surrounding area, de Poorten van Reijmerstok, Stichting Kernoverleg Reijmerstok, Stichting beheer gemeenschapshuis A gen Ing, Eetcafé A-Gen-Ing.
Photos: Edward van Kempen, Jonathan Wanders.
© Jonathan Wanders