Siemen Dijkstra - the soul of the landscape

About this activity.

Siemen Dijkstra

'Landscape is my religion', says Siemen Dijkstra (1968). He feels a strong connection with the rural landscape of Groningen and Drenthe. This is reflected in his work. Dijkstra makes, like no other, colour woodcuts of the nature around him. In doing so, he is constantly searching for the soul of the landscape and wants to capture the uniqueness of an area before it disappears. With his art he appeals to the viewer: have respect for nature!

Siemen Dijkstra was educated at the Minerva Academy in Groningen, where he was encouraged to draw outdoors. He did so for the first time in this region. He can still be found here regularly, such as on the Uithuizer Wad, of which he made a series of woodcuts. Dijkstra lives in Dwingeloo and also grew up in Southwest Drenthe. This landscape, so familiar to him and in which he experiences extra inspiration, is the greatest source of inspiration for his work.

Siemen Dijkstra's work is appreciated at home and abroad. He recently won the renowned Mario Avati graphic prize from the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris (2021) and the Drenthe Cultural Prize (2022).

The soul of Middag-Humsterland

Ezinge is the oldest permanently inhabited village in the Netherlands and is located in the Middag-Humsterland National Landscape. 'The cultural landscape of Middag-Humsterland already existed in the terp area when the current Randstad of the Netherlands was still an inaccessible peat bog', says Jan Delvigne, founder of Museum Wierdenland. Reason enough to also search for the soul of this more than 2500 year old landscape in this exhibition. It also explores how this heritage can exist alongside a vital countryside.

Museum Wierdenland.

Location.

Museum Wierdenland
Van Swinderenweg 10
9891 AD Ezinge
tel (0594) 621 524
www.wierdenland.nl/