In Bierma's shed
May 18
Fertile Soil
Group.
In addition to the drawing "Potato Socialism", with the support of curator Anita van Os and Wild Potatoes, I made the film "In Memory 1871" about my super-sized drawing with Domela Nieuwenhuis as subject. The picture shows the screening of the drawing in the background. with the performance of Roberta Petzoldt that she performed in 2013 at Witzenhausen Gallery in Amsterdam, for more info click pedrobakker.art
Why wasn't the drawing "In memory of 1871" in the barn?
I explained this on large A0 posters that hung in the shed:
I made this super-sized drawing in 2013 on behalf of curator Marjolein Schaap, who started an initiative in Marrum. The commission was supported by the Mondriaan Fund and the drawing was purchased by the Fries Museum in 2014. Unfortunately, the drawing was never shown in Melk Marrum because the initiative died. Now there is a wonderful opportunity to show this 'political' drawing as a museum piece in a context of mienskip and skiednis of the region around the Oudebildtdijk. I have asked the Fries Museum whether it is possible to loan the drawing for the Fertile Soil exhibition.
The director Kris Callens wrote to me the following:
“Your application for loan dated 5 February 2010 to illuminate a figure such as Domela Nieuwenhuis in the area around the Oudebildtdijk where this foreman took root during the bildtse potato weeks has been received in good order. We regret to inform you that we are unable to accommodate your request.
We are well aware that the work In Memory of 1871 would play a crucial role in the exhibition. Nevertheless, we cannot lend the object to you, as the paper is fragile and the work will also be hung in a non-climatised room.”
In Bierma's shed, the drawing is now not projected as an object, but in full size on the wall, 234 x 420 cm. Domela Nieuwenhuis has held speeches in the church of Sint Anna Parish, which is 6 km away from Bierma's farm. Jan Willem Stutje writes in his biography Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis, a romantic revolutionary, the following:
“Domela was invited in March of 1885 by Jan and Johannes Kuiken, father and son, publishers of the Bildtsche Courant. In Sint Annaparochie he denied to about three hundred farm workers that he had come 'with a piece of dynamite in one and a bottle of petroleum in the other pocket'. Those allegations were without foundation, according to Domela. He then calmly explained where the social misery came from.” (p.163)
“But if there was no meeting room, as in Het Bildt, then the socialists, if given the chance, would rather choose the house of God than the inn to proclaim their message, even if they murmured jokingly: 'Those churches, they could better accommodate them there fan make!” On a Sunday in November 1889, Domela ascended the pulpit of the large Reformed Church in Sint Annaparochie to speak about the French Revolution. (…) Twelve hundred people inside and hundreds more outside cheered their hero. They dispersed while singing the Freedom Song.” (p.164)
Ultimately, my drawing "In memory 1871" was lent by the Fries Museum to Museum Heerenveen for the exhibition "Üs Ferlosser", which took place in 2019, see here pedrobakker.art
In addition to the drawing "Potato Socialism", with the support of curator Anita van Os and Wild Potatoes, I made the film "In Memory 1871" about my super-sized drawing with Domela Nieuwenhuis as subject. The picture shows the screening of the drawing in the background. with the performance of Roberta Petzoldt that she performed in 2013 at Witzenhausen Gallery in Amsterdam, for more info click pedrobakker.art
Why wasn't the drawing "In memory of 1871" in the barn?
I explained this on large A0 posters that hung in the shed:
I made this super-sized drawing in 2013 on behalf of curator Marjolein Schaap, who started an initiative in Marrum. The commission was supported by the Mondriaan Fund and the drawing was purchased by the Fries Museum in 2014. Unfortunately, the drawing was never shown in Melk Marrum because the initiative died. Now there is a wonderful opportunity to show this 'political' drawing as a museum piece in a context of mienskip and skiednis of the region around the Oudebildtdijk. I have asked the Fries Museum whether it is possible to loan the drawing for the Fertile Soil exhibition.
The director Kris Callens wrote to me the following:
“Your application for loan dated 5 February 2010 to illuminate a figure such as Domela Nieuwenhuis in the area around the Oudebildtdijk where this foreman took root during the bildtse potato weeks has been received in good order. We regret to inform you that we are unable to accommodate your request.
We are well aware that the work In Memory of 1871 would play a crucial role in the exhibition. Nevertheless, we cannot lend the object to you, as the paper is fragile and the work will also be hung in a non-climatised room.”
In Bierma's shed, the drawing is now not projected as an object, but in full size on the wall, 234 x 420 cm. Domela Nieuwenhuis has held speeches in the church of Sint Anna Parish, which is 6 km away from Bierma's farm. Jan Willem Stutje writes in his biography Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis, a romantic revolutionary, the following:
“Domela was invited in March of 1885 by Jan and Johannes Kuiken, father and son, publishers of the Bildtsche Courant. In Sint Annaparochie he denied to about three hundred farm workers that he had come 'with a piece of dynamite in one and a bottle of petroleum in the other pocket'. Those allegations were without foundation, according to Domela. He then calmly explained where the social misery came from.” (p.163)
“But if there was no meeting room, as in Het Bildt, then the socialists, if given the chance, would rather choose the house of God than the inn to proclaim their message, even if they murmured jokingly: 'Those churches, they could better accommodate them there fan make!” On a Sunday in November 1889, Domela ascended the pulpit of the large Reformed Church in Sint Annaparochie to speak about the French Revolution. (…) Twelve hundred people inside and hundreds more outside cheered their hero. They dispersed while singing the Freedom Song.” (p.164)
Ultimately, my drawing "In memory 1871" was lent by the Fries Museum to Museum Heerenveen for the exhibition "Üs Ferlosser", which took place in 2019, see here pedrobakker.art
In the background the performance "The 4 Johanna's" by Roberta Petzoldt.