Festival De Oversteek | Expeditie Noord, Nijmegen [2023]
For festival De Oversteek, Sjimmie Veenhuis was inspired by the rich historical landscape of Nijmegen and the visual language that goes with it. In the newly developed area on the north-side of the Waal river, he used the elements he found there to put this in a new light. [1]
“In the work of Sjimmie Veenhuis, things are what they are. Barrier tape, concrete blocks, traffic signs and reflectors are used as materials based on their capabilities. It sounds obvious, but the way in which Sjimmie reconfigures these recognizable elements always manages to surprise. Nijmegen-North is currently
characterized by a cacophony of signage and disorienting construction work, a prolific foundation for his artistic strategy. Sjimmie makes clear that we have certain, well-defined thoughts about the appearance of objects, especially those related to traffic and the layout of public space. We take these forms for what they are and dutifully follow their implicit message.” He shows with his works that in addition to signs, they are also visual elements that can be used well in a tight composition. Suddenly, in addition to being a functional roadblock, barriers and traffic signs become a spatial work of art.” [2]
