Master Plan
Keeping land art permanently accessible to the general public is an art in itself. With the Master Plan, Land Art Flevoland renews important parts of its artworks between March 2022 and May 2024, making them even better to be admired by the public.
Living collection
The ten works of Land Art Flevoland make up a living collection. The artworks stand in nature and often use it as their main material. Therefore, it is important that they are continuously restored. The Master Plan was created for this purpose.
Not made to stay
It is by no means always logical to restore land art. Some artworks are not meant to last at all. Consider, for example, the first works of land art in the United States, which were made with rocks, branches, chalk and snow. The creation process and underlying idea were often more important than whether the artwork could stand the test of time.
Tailored to the environment
Flevoland’s works of land art deal with the same themes as American land art, but have a different history. The artworks were often commissioned by local governments; some have been there since the creation of the province of Flevoland. They are carefully tailored to their surroundings. Their creators are of renown and they are loved by many visitors. All the more reason to sustainably preserve these works of art.
History of restorations
In the decades that works of land art have been on display in Flevoland, they have already undergone several restorations. For example, Observatory (1977) by Robert Morris was completely refurbished around the construction of the Hanze Line in 2012. Polderland Garden of Love and Fire (1997) by Daniel Libeskind was completely restored by the municipality of Almere in 2018. Now it is time for larger-scale restoration of the four oldest artworks: The Green Cathedral (1996) by Marinus Boezem, Aardzee (1982) by Piet Slegers, the surroundings of the Observatory and Sea Level (1996) by Richard Serra.
Together we are strong
All these artworks belong to different owners: from five Flevoland municipalities and three nature organizations. Since 2016, Land Art Flevoland has brought them all together for an annual consultation. The goal: to coordinate management and maintenance and to share knowledge and information. This shared way of looking at things fits with Land Art Flevoland’s collection: by visiting them all, you get to know the province and its landscape better.
Pleasant visit
These restorations go hand in hand with improvements to the experience and accessibility of the artworks. For example, we are upgrading the information boards and seating areas. To bring the works of art to the attention of a broader local audience, we made a magazine in 2022, which was distributed door-to-door to all residents of Flevoland. Furthermore, we interviewed all the artists: to introduce the public to the artworks and their creators, but also to record and preserve knowledge about the works for the future. This includes 3D scans of the works. These not only serve as technical drawings, but also ensure that they are included in a large database, where they can be accessed by parties with construction plans in the area. In all these ways, we make sure that the artworks of Land Art Flevoland can also be admired by future generations.
Cooperation partners
The renewal of the artworks of Land Art Flevoland is a collaboration with the Province of Flevoland and is taking place thanks to contributions from the VriendenLoterij, the Mondriaan Fund and the BPD Culture Fund.
