Permanently closed
It has been a wonderful journey
For 13 years, our lives revolved more or less around the summer exhibition in our garden in Ouddorp. Coordinating with artists, transporting and positioning sculptures, curating the setting, welcoming and guiding visitors, and finally, dismantling the exhibition and preparing the garden for winter; it was practically a full-time job.
We grew increasingly skilled at it, yet our ambitions also continued to grow. Simply placing a sculpture on a pedestal was no longer enough. A sculpture requires a specific setting—in fact, the sculpture itself defines the space, transforming it into a meaningful environment. That is what we sought to showcase.
We believe the past year marked the pinnacle, both in terms of the quality of the artwork and the curation of the garden. We reached a clear realization: it simply cannot get any better than this. Moreover, we have reached the limit of our own capacity. Given the resources at our disposal—finances, space, and energy—this was the absolute maximum we could achieve, and we are truly content with that.
And so, the time has come to stop—to pursue other endeavors while we still can—and to ensure that the pieces currently in our garden find new, meaningful homes elsewhere.
Many people made this possible for us. First and foremost, the artists; without them, there would be no sculpture garden. From the very beginning, we were struck by their immense willingness, generosity, and dedication; they entrusted us with their (often highly valuable) works, placing them in our care without restrictive conditions. They were always collaborative, consistently willing to invest extra energy and go the extra mile, even when it came to positioning works that were often exceptionally heavy. In addition, there were many visitors who – generous with their compliments and support – returned year after year, giving us the sense that something truly special was taking place here for the island.
We will miss all of that, but we also look forward to the new steps we intend to take and to reconnecting with you all in ways that will certainly still involve (sculptural) art. We will keep you posted on those developments.
For now, goodbye; it has been a wonderful time.
Stasja Goedbloed and Arthur Broek
It has been a wonderful journey
For 13 years, our lives revolved more or less around the summer exhibition in our garden in Ouddorp. Coordinating with artists, transporting and positioning sculptures, curating the setting, welcoming and guiding visitors, and finally, dismantling the exhibition and preparing the garden for winter; it was practically a full-time job.
We grew increasingly skilled at it, yet our ambitions also continued to grow. Simply placing a sculpture on a pedestal was no longer enough. A sculpture requires a specific setting—in fact, the sculpture itself defines the space, transforming it into a meaningful environment. That is what we sought to showcase.
We believe the past year marked the pinnacle, both in terms of the quality of the artwork and the curation of the garden. We reached a clear realization: it simply cannot get any better than this. Moreover, we have reached the limit of our own capacity. Given the resources at our disposal—finances, space, and energy—this was the absolute maximum we could achieve, and we are truly content with that.
And so, the time has come to stop—to pursue other endeavors while we still can—and to ensure that the pieces currently in our garden find new, meaningful homes elsewhere.
Permanently closed
Many people made this possible for us. First and foremost, the artists; without them, there would be no sculpture garden. From the very beginning, we were struck by their immense willingness, generosity, and dedication; they entrusted us with their (often highly valuable) works, placing them in our care without restrictive conditions. They were always collaborative, consistently willing to invest extra energy and go the extra mile, even when it came to positioning works that were often exceptionally heavy. In addition, there were many visitors who – generous with their compliments and support – returned year after year, giving us the sense that something truly special was taking place here for the island.
We will miss all of that, but we also look forward to the new steps we intend to take and to reconnecting with you all in ways that will certainly still involve (sculptural) art. We will keep you posted on those developments.
For now, goodbye; it has been a wonderful time.
Stasja Goedbloed and Arthur Broek