Robert Jasper Grootveld

Robert Jasper Grootveld (1964)

Robert Jasper Grootveld (* 19th July 1932 in Amsterdam ; † 26. February 2009 ) was a Dutch Happening - artist , forerunner and inspirer of the Provo movement , inventor of the " floating gardens " and social activist .

Life

Robert J. Grootveld grew up in a socially committed family. According to his own statement, he clearly remembers an earlier childhood experience, the "Sinterklaas" (St. Nicholas), which later played an important role in his happenings. He states that St. Nicholas came to life for him when he saw that there was a package in his shoe. In 1954 he spent a year in Paris. In 1955, some Amsterdam newspapers reported that Grootveld was sailing through the Amsterdam canals on a raft with his face painted black. In the early 1960s, Grootveld appeared as “ Zwarte Piet ”, Knecht Ruprecht , at his weekly happenings. For him, St. Nicholas was a benefactor, a friend of children and people.

The poet and writer Simon Vinkenoog (1928–2009) organized the first happening in Amsterdam on December 9, 1962, inspired by the American Fluxus movement. Grootveld and medical student Bart Huges were there. The latter later became internationally known when he bored a hole in the top of his skull on January 6, 1965 in order - as he said - to expand his consciousness and to stay high all the time.

Grootveld became known as the " anti-smoke magician ". Before that, he worked as a florist, window dresser, carpenter, advertising assistant, window cleaner, dishwasher, steward on a ship and extra.

Activities and happenings

Grootveld started his activities against the tobacco industry as early as 1961. He allegedly wrote the word cancer on hundreds of billboards as a warning of the health effects of cigarette smoking. For the actions he received - although he had previously reported them to the responsible authorities - a prison sentence of 60 days. His fame in the media as an " anti-smoke magician " rose sharply as a result. His first happenings took place in March 1962 in the Anti-Rauch-Tempel , in a converted car workshop, in the presence of the writer Harry Mulisch , the singer Ramses Shaffy and other spectators. Grootveld listed various "incantations" against smoking. A few weeks later, interest in his performances had become so low that on April 18, 1962, he set fire to his temple. He was then arrested and sentenced for arson. In the summer of 1964 he moved his magical happenings to the Spui , a small square in downtown Amsterdam

The Lieverdje

. In this square there is a statue called the Lieverdje , donated by a cigarette factory. Disguised as a servant Ruprecht , Grootveld began to hold his ritual performances every Saturday evening at twelve o'clock, combined with his already created imago and the incantations " uche, uche, uche ", " Imaazje, Imaaazje " and " Klaas komt ". Klaas , (for Sinterklaas ; Saint Nicholas ) meant for him the "Nicholas myth", where he presented the philanthropist as the " messiah " who was supposed to ensure that times would change. This was meant as a metamorphosis for the happy surprise in children when "Santa Claus" comes.

At that time, Grootveld and the audience were tolerated by the authorities and the police. That changed in 1965, however, because more and more spectators and participants were attracted by the midnight street theater and the media reported extensively about it. The anarchists Roel van Duijn and Rob Stolk were among those actively involved . The Provo movement emerged from the sudden and incomprehensibly harsh appearance of the police . Grootveld joined the movement, got even more national fame and individual television interviews. In 1966 he set up a Speakers Corner in Amsterdam's Vondelpark and founded an “ Exotic Kitsch Conservatory ” with the painter Theo Kleij . Grootveld performed his happenings until around the end of 1966. The provo movement, which was inspired by Grootveld's street theater performances, disbanded in 1967. The media has been reporting more about the Provos in recent months; but Grootveld, once the media hub, was more and more forgotten. In 1970 he took part in the Kabouter movement and later became involved as an artist.

Artist

Until the 1990s Robert J. Grootveld was ridiculed as a " harmless fool ", a "city comedian" ("Stadsgek"); but also as " a modern embodiment of the well-known village idiot ". However, this changed with Grootveld's ideas and the realization of his floating gardens ; also called floating islands . A form of softbuilding artistically created by Grootveld , no hard materials made of metal or wood were used. He had already sailed through the Amsterdam canals on a raft of this type in 1955 . Grootveld used styrofoam blocks that were held together by plastic nets. This construction was used to maintain the smooth, flexible structure. According to him, the floating islands could be preserved for a hundred years without maintenance and offer an advantage in the event of flooding or high water levels: they rise with the water level. Apart from the "floating islands and gardens", he built a so-called " gang boat " from old car tires .

Today Robert Jasper Grootveld is recognized as an inventor and artist. On June 15, 2008, De Oceaan , an unsinkable ship 24 meters long and 8 meters wide, the last of its green fleet , entered the port of Amsterdam. "De Oceaan" was planted with flowers and trees: strawberry bushes, apple trees, grapes, currant and blackberry bushes, rhubarb and much more. There is already a foundation, "Blijven Drijven", which, based on Grootveld's ideas, makes a constructive contribution to a " life on the Water ”. On June 15, 2000, his " 30 years old Styrofoam island dream " was honored with the official handover of the green fleet to the Amsterdam municipal council.

further reading

Books

• Niek Pas, “ IMAAZJE. De Verbeelding van Provo (1965-1967) ”. Wereldbibliothek, Amsterdam 2003. ISBN 90-284-2014-2 . Lots of information about the Provos, u. a. Roel van Duijn , Rob Stolk, van Weetering, Peter Bronkhorst , Robert Jasper Grootveld.
• Eric Duivenvoorden, “ Magician van een nieuwe Tijd; het leven van Robert Jasper Grootveld ”. De Arbeiderspers publishing house, Amsterdam 2008. ISBN 978-90-295-6722-0

Newspapers

• Het Parool of December 19, 1961; " Bekladder van Affiches in Gijzeling ". About Grootveld's arrest for writing on advertising posters.

Web links

• Selection of interviews with Robert. J. Grootveld . In the IISG , with videos. Dutch, accessed October 6, 2012
• Nationaal Robert Jasper Grootveld . Period 1938 to 2000. In the IISG (Amsterdam).

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Quoted from Arjan Visser, in: De groene Amsterdammer ; Dutch. Retrieved January 23, 2009
2. ↑ Thirteen web links to Bart Huges . In the IISG . Retrieved May 28, 2013
3. ^ Author: Jan-Frederik Bandel . More blood to the brain . May 11, 2005 in Jungle World newspaper . Among other things, about Bart Huges. Retrieved May 29, 2013
4. ↑ Among other things, about Grootveld's professional career; . Dutch. Retrieved January 21, 2009
5. ↑ About the arrest of RJGrootveld . Originally in Het Parool . Dutch. Retrieved May 2, 2013
6. ↑ A 6:40 minute film about RJ Grootveld's Happening on the Spui. ( Memento of July 8, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Retrieved January 23, 2009
7. ↑ About the Lieverdje statue in the publication Gramschap . Without author name; Dutch. Retrieved January 25, 2009
8. ↑ About RJ Grootveld am Lieverdje in the magazine Graswurzelrevolution . Retrieved January 23, 2009
9. ↑ Quoted from Niek Pas, “ Imaazje. De verbeelding van de Povos (1965-1967) ”. Wereldbibliothek, Amsterdam 2003.
10. ^ Author: Ilse Steel . Provo's, inland buitenlandse politiek. Dutch, accessed May 2, 2013
11. ↑ "Chronology of the Provo Movement". Under Grootveld's influence, the Provos' activities became a combination of magical street theater and anarchist provocation; Dutch. Retrieved May 2, 2013
12. ↑ See: Author Wietske Blokker: De opkomst van piepschuim als drijvend huis. In "Amsterdam Centraal" of May 2, 1992
13. ↑ Via RJ Grootveld as "Stadsgek" (city comedian) . Retrieved January 29, 2009
14. ↑ Photo of Grootveld's Floating Gardens ( Memento of the original from February 23, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Retrieved January 29, 2009. 
15. ↑ Information about Grootveld's "gang boat". Retrieved January 29, 2009
16. ↑ Photo by De Oceaan
17. ↑ Quotes from the website and information about the “blijven drijven” foundation . Dutch. Retrieved February 1, 2009