ESNS Art 2025 | ‘O Denneboom’ | Koos Buist
About this activity.
For several years now, ESNS and Kunstpunt Groningen have been joining forces for ESNS Art. An initiative with the aim of surprising festival visitors with art from local artists. This year we invited artist Koos Buist to reflect on the possible future. The result is his impressive installation O Denneboom, an image that you cannot ignore during the bustling ESNS. With this work, Buist reflects on the complex relationship between man and nature.
🗓️ The installation can be visited for free on the Grote Markt on 16 and 17 January during ESNS.
🍾 The opening is on Thursday 16 January at 6:15 p.m. - everyone is welcome!
O Denneboom (‘O Christmas Tree’)
Koos Buist is developing a work of art especially for ESNS that can be seen in the middle of the Grote Markt: O Denneboom. With this work, Koos shows his involvement with current themes. He uses the moment of the event to playfully question the public about the way we deal with nature. How do we as humans relate to nature and how do we manipulate it? How is this reflected in our daily lives?
The Christmas tree brings together much of the complex relationship between humans and nature. A living, growing organism with roots in both mystical stories and our modern traditions, decorated with lights in the house during dark days. Buist adds another story to the life of these trees and connects all the elements into an installation that raises more questions than it provides answers.
Workshop making ‘root creatures’
Koos Buist worked together with group 8 of IKC Borgman Oosterpoort to philosophize about the future of nature and what could be found underground. The students’ thoughts about the future are incorporated into Buist’s work. Together they also created mystical creatures from Christmas tree roots. These creatures, as it were small nature spirits, can be seen during ESNS in the pop-up location of Kunstpunt, in the former Vapiano building on the Nieuwe Markt.
Also during ESNS, in collaboration with Talent van Hier, visitors can participate in a making activity! On Friday 17 January, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., children, parents and passers-by can make root creatures for free in the tent on the Grote Markt. Buist will then give a workshop in which participants build their own creatures with roots, rope, stone, feathers, clay and branches.
Koos Buist
The work of Koos Buist focuses on the search for a connection between people and local nature. References to philosophy, science and mythology run like a common thread through this search and the works. His projects emphasize collaboration and public participation to build relationships between people and nature. His practice includes film, theater, spatial works and landscape projects. In 2024, Buist graduated cum laude with a Master in Interrelational Art Practices (iRAP) from the Frank Mohr Institute.
Want to know more about Koos?
👉 koosbuist.nl
👉 @koosbuist
O Denneboom is an artwork by Koos Buist commissioned by ESNS and Kunstpunt Groningen. ESNS Art is made possible by the Mondriaan Fund.
Kunstpunt Groningen.
Kunstpunt Groningen (voorheen CBK) is hét knooppunt voor beeldende kunst. Wij lenen kunstwerken uit, begeleiden kunstopdrachten in de openbare ruimte en bij bedrijven, ontwikkelen educatieprojecten voor scholen en organiseren tentoonstellingen en activiteiten.
Kunstpunt Groningen (formerly CBK) is the hub for visual arts. We lend works of art, supervise art assignments in public spaces and at companies, develop educational projects for schools and organize exhibitions and activities.
Location.
ESNS Art 2025
Grote Markt | voor het stadhuis
9712 HN Groningen
tel (050) 317 17 07
www.kunstpuntgroningen.nl