The Colorfield Performance at Groesbeek

The Colorfield Performance celebrates Freedom with a capital F.

This coming summer, the successful Land Art project The Colorfield Performance will once again settle in a beautiful location in the Netherlands. This time, a spot has been chosen by the Wylerbaan at the Freedom Museum in Groesbeek to celebrate 80 years of freedom in a colorful way with 336 painted panels. After Sloten in Friesland and two times Park Lingezegen in Gelderland, this is the fourth edition in this form and takes place from May 1 to September 17, the day on which Operation Market Garden is commemorated, the Allied offensive aimed against Nazi Germany.

A few hundred artists from different countries are participating in the project, attracting thousands of interested people from the surrounding area. The panels to be painted are arranged this time in the shape of a large V that follows the lines of the landscape. There are 336 in total. This is because there were as many days between D-Day on June 6, 1944, and the German capitulation on May 7, 1945, in Reims, France.

On weekdays, a maximum of 6 people are working. Participants have one day to paint their panels measuring 1.22 by 1.22 meters. This places certain demands on their skills. The painting takes place outdoors.

I have also signed up for the project and will participate on Saturday, June 28, 2025. The camaraderie and working in a completely different place than I am used to, as well as the contact with visitors and other artists, seems to me very worthwhile and an experience I do not want to miss.