- Year: 2019
- Total participants: 462
- Materials: acrylic paint on canvas, black metallic frame
- Size: 170 x 110 x 5 cm (66,9 x 43,3 x 1,9 in)
- Category: unique
- Location: Zwolle
- Private collection of Henk Jan Meijer
Dennie Boxem had the honour of painting the parting gift for Henk Jan Meijer. Meijer had been the mayor of Zwolle for nineteen years, and became the second longest mayor in the history of The Netherlands serving one city. Now he is a member of the Dutch Senate for the VVD.
“Ik denk dat, het feit dat hier met 460 personen aan gewerkt is, een beetje weergeeft wat mijn absolute hoogtepunt is geweest van de afgelopen 19 jaar; samen hebben we het gedaan; met elkaar maken we de stad, en dit is hier een prachtig voorbeeld van.”
Henk Jan Meijer
Translated: “The fact that over 460 persons contributed to this painting, reflects a highlight of being mayor the past 19 years; together we build this city, and this is a beautiful example of how we do things in Zwolle” responded Meijer as the artwork was handed over on the main stage of Stadsfestival Zwolle.
All participants wrote their name and/or a personal message in a book, which was handed over together with the portrait.
The artwork was initiated with Deltion SPRINT Lyceum. 347 of their students contributed to the painting at Stadkamer Zwolle. Afterwards the painting was finished in Academiehuis. All the local newspapers invited Zwollenaren to contribute to the artwork.
Photography: Christein van Hoffen/Matthijs van Os.
PUBLICATIONS:
2019. Artikle AD “Vele handen ‘maken’ Meijer” by Pieter Steenbergen.
2019. VIDEO rtv Focus “Gezamenlijk kunstwerk als cadeau voor Henk Jan Meijer” by Tom Neijensteijn.
