Kunstpunt (then still CBK Groningen) asked various Groningen comic book makers and visual artists to depict the changes on the construction fence around the new building on the basis of eight comic strips. The strips on the fence – passed every year as a kind of relay race – each in their own way gave a glimpse into the present, past and future of the Grote Markt. Yesterday the book Grote Markt Oostzijde Groningen – 20 years of urban development in 40 stories, which looks back in an extensive historiography, was presented in the Forum.
Stripestaff participants
Visual artist, illustrator and comics artist Bart Nijstad (1979, Meppel) made his creative contribution to the comics project in 2015. In his strip he fantasized about the origin of the Groninger Forum. Nijstad did this on the basis of a mystical being that ultimately places the future Forum in the city.
In addition to Bart Nijstad, the following cartoonists and visual artists contributed:
2012 Sam Peeters, comic book maker, illustrator, performer and teacher at Minerva Academy, depicted student life, including Vindicat.
2013 Barbara Stok, comic book maker, depicted the experiences of the small townr.
2014 Erik Wielaert, visual artist, illustrator and comic book maker, focused on the history of Groningen.
2016 Maria van Driel, creator of comics, animations and illustrations, reflected on the selfie culture in her comic. She used her camera to control the city in striking places, including the (future) Forum.
2017 Anne and Eva Staal, the cartoon sisters 'the Stalinskis', depicted 'a day in the Forum'.
2018 Jan-Willem Spakman, cartoonist, took the Forum as subject. In his short comic, the Forum got to know the city and the viewers got to know the Forum.
2020 Illustration collective Knetterijs (consisting of Douwe Dijkstra, Jan Hamstra, Maarten Huizing, Jaime Jacob, Anne Margot Stapert, Tsjisse Talsma, Senne Trip, Megan de Vos and Kalle Wolters) took care of the last in the series. In addition to the opening of the Forum, they showed a portrait of groups in the city (including well-known Groningen scientists, townspeople, athletes, children, etc.).
Edition
The book Grote Markt Oostzijde Groningen – 20 years of urban development in 40 stories is available from today in the Forum Groningen shop, among others.