This was the headline in the Gouda Post newspaper on Wednesday 23 September 2020 in which the population of Gouda were asked to vote for two totally different artworks that were inspired by Leo Vroman’s poem Hallucinations:

We are the appearings

That fade so fast

That we are disappearings

Of nature

The Central Holland Green Alliance and the Vroman Foundation initiated this competition. Three artists were asked to base a “weather- and thug-proof” outdoor work of art on the poetry above. An unusual challenge compared to the safe confines of a museum or gallery.

The professional jury came down to two artworks after the presentations in July by all the artists. Because the works were so different the scores were tied at 4 to 4. So the city of Gouda was asked to cast the deciding vote. The winning artwork will be placed In the spring of 2021 in the meeting place in the newly renovated recreation area “The Gouda Woods”.

The Gouda-born artist Henrique van Putten is the winner with their work Saying hi and Goodbye. The runner up was David Habets. Both of them interpreted the rules in their own unique way to make two very different artworks.

More information in the Algemene Dagblad from 1 October 2020 (in Dutch)