Barriers (Afsluitbomen – 6 elements)

About this artwork.

Commissioned by the housing association Volkshuisvesting and co-funded by the CBK Groningen, the artists created six steel turnstiles that give access to the patios of a housing complex. A fence with its sharp points usually looks somewhat aggressive, but Trudi van den Berg and Jos Steenmeijer managed to avoid this by using natural forms in their design. A tree grows out of the fence, as it were, filling the entire opening. The Barriers interrupt a hundred-and-fifty-metre long wall and, in a friendly way, keep unwanted people out. In addition, they are vandalism-proof, automatically closing and low-maintenance.

Van den Berg and Steenmeijer work both together and autonomously. The theme of nature is especially recognisable in other art objects by Trudi van den Berg. Among other things, she made a series of sculptures with living plants. In addition, she often incorporates found objects into her art. In his autonomous art, Jos Steenmeijer mainly works with technology.

The artist duo designed two other works of art for the city of Groningen in which nature and the environment form the central theme: The Late Flying Circus in the Noorderplantsoen (now removed) and Forget-me-not (Vergeet-mij-niet) at the Beckerweg.

Facts & Figures.

• Design
  Trudi van den Berg
  Jos Steenmeijer

• District
  Korrewegwijk & De Hoogte

• Year of creation
  1994

• Art type
  Design, Art in / on a building

• Material
  Coating, Galvanized steel

• Dimensions
  h 2,41 x b 2,37 m