Sun 08 December
14:00–18:00
Opening MAARTEN BEL: WENSWERKEN & THE CLUB OF DELFT
The public programme PARADOXES OF PLENTY and the multi-year educational community project THE CLUB OF DELFT commence with the artist presentation MAARTEN BEL: WENSWERKEN, an initiative that fulfills cherished wishes and desires of Delft residents in a participatory way, with empathy, altruism and reciprocity at its core.
For the WENSWERKEN project, Delft residents are invited to submit a wish (for themselves or another person) to RADIUS. Artist Maarten Bel then translates these personal wishes into drawings depicting the wish in question. These drawings are then offered for sale at RADIUS, in a specially equipped and freely accessible gallery in the entrance area of the water tower. Visitors to the city can purchase a drawing of a wish that has touched them, with the price of the drawing equal to the cost benefited by making the depicted wish come true. The proceeds of each artwork sold will be used to fulfill the wish depicted and will be personally delivered to the petitioner by Maarten Bel. In this way, WENSWERKEN aims to turn individual desires into tangible and concrete actions.
WENSWERKEN aims to alleviate the socio-economic pressures that Delft residents often face on a daily basis. Think, for example, of pressure in balancing household needs on a limited budget, or fulfilling seemingly small but no less meaningful wishes, such as buying a birthday cake, replacing a broken washing machine, or sharing an experience outside the worries of everyday life. These small gestures, however modest, play an important role in easing the emotional and financial burden of Delft residents. In doing so, the project also highlights the spontaneous and humane nature of these small acts of kindness, selflessness and reciprocity, which at the same time highlight the importance of empathy in a world often dominated by material constraints and individualism.
THE CLUB OF DELFT
MAARTEN BEL: WENSWERKEN also marks the launch of THE CLUB OF DELFT, a multi-year educational community project by RADIUS develop for and with residents of Delft-West. The project links climate change to socio-economic inequality and encourages intergenerational cooperation through art, social design and co-creation. Through various action groups, it raises awareness around climate justice and social transformation. THE CLUB OF DELFT focuses specifically on local challenges, such as the uneven impact of climate policies on poor households and women in Delft. The aim is to provide action-driven agency and promote climate justice at a neighbourhood level. The first phase, planned for 2024-2025, serves as a basis for an ongoing programme within RADIUS.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
⌀ Date: Sunday 8 December 2024
⌀ Doors open: 13:30
⌀ Opening: 14:00 – 17:00
⌀ Free of charge, R.S.V.P required
⌀ Location: RADIUS Water Tower, Kalverbos 22 and RADIUS, Kalverbos 20
⌀ Note that both locations are not wheelchair accessible. Please get in contact with us to discuss alternative ways to allow your participation.
⌀ The presentation MAARTEN BEL: WENSWERKEN can be visited continuously without obligation from 8 December 2024 to 23 February 23 2025 in the space at the foot of the water tower.
SUPPORT
⌀ MAARTEN BEL: WENSWERKEN and THE CLUB OF DELFT are made possible with the support of FONDS 21, the Municipality of Delft, Stichting DOEN, and the Mondriaan Fund.
