‘MAKING WORK TOGETHER’ is a workshop given by artist Guido de Boer, as part of the LAMY creative sessions at Kunstpalast Düsseldorf Studio. A session focussed on the creative process, intuitive choices and working together. With as goal; a big collaborative work in which a search and exploration of shapes and meaning is created.
At the workshop, people of varying ages, backgrounds and experiences participated in making a large mural for the first time. Where the studio of Kunstpalast Düsseldorf, a central location for art, but also cultural education, was the perfect place for; its light-flooded and barrier-free thinking space, made it a great meeting place for artistic and creative exchange.
The daily drawings of Guido de Boer in his 5 x 5 millimeter grid sketchbook and his big murals with ink, served as the starting point for the session. First the participants were introduced to the pens of LAMY and working within a grid structure. They then each designed a composition of 13 x 13 squares, which were later transferred onto the wall and connected to form one cohesive whole. This created a visual exploration of patterns, typography and space. And also an overseeable way of working together and pushing boundaries.
After a brief, but thorough introduction to de Boer his work, the participants had to get used to ‘Thinking in blocks’. They were introduced to working within a grid structure, through short, focused exercises. So they could explore the method and learn to deal with both the brushwork and the way of thinking associated with this approach.
Once the participants were used to drawing in a grid structure, they worked in pairs to create their own mural design. This encouraged them to create and give each other feedback in the process. Resulting in varied designs: from figurative elements to abstract or textual designs.
The wall, 12 by 3.5 meters, began as an empty 7.5 x 7.5 centimeter grid, with as goal; to create a balance between black and white, that strives for equality. Therefore the 13 x 13 square designs were divided on to the wall equally in space and space around it. All working in duo’s on both of their canvases. So they could think, sketch and paint together, but their design didn’t need to have any relation with each other. After an instruction on how to use the brush and the nature of the paint, everyone was given a spot. With their sketch in hand, the duo’s were ready to work on the wall. Alternating tasks continuously between dipping the brush in the paint and assisting as an extra pair of eyes.
In working on the wall, different boundaries were pushed. Some overcame their fear of heights by climbing up the ladder and others had to let go of their perfectionism due to the spontaneous character of the paint. Quite quickly, various designs emerged that had to be connected. This created a kind of interactive game, where everyone looked for an empty spot to fill in, without a prepared plan. As a result, some designs were connected to each other, or a whole new layer in the painting was created. The further into the process, the more the participants' self-confidence grew. Taking initiative in responding to the environment and expressing their ideas inside the given collective structure.
We would like to thank all participants for their input and enthusiasm. Also a big thank you, to Kunstpalast Düsseldorf for opening their studio for us and of course to our partner LAMY. Together we proved that by making work together, we could turn a huge challenge into something beautiful and truly meaningful in just one day.
“The framework of the workshop was particularly inspiring for my way of working as a designer: all the tools and formats were harmonised with each other and created an island. The grid provides a strict framework within which the limited possibilities allow for maximum freedom and creativity without pressure. This can be an analogy for the realisation of any creative project, to take away the fear of the blank sheet or failure: set the framework with low obstacles and just get started!” - Romina Iken (participant)
"With no prior experience, I was able to contribute to a collaborative wall mural at the Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf under the guidance of artist Guido de Boer, who encouraged my creativity every step of the way. By the end of the day, I proudly saw my artwork displayed, feeling empowered and truly connected to the artistic process." - Büsra Caylak-Can (participant)
“The workshop was so great! I particularly enjoyed the informative insight into Guido’s work; it was incredibly helpful and inspiring for the small exercises and the resulting artwork. I’ve been a fan of Guido’s art for a long time, and it was such a pleasure to meet him and to browse through his amazing 5mm grid sketchbooks. Looking back, it’s incredible how we, as a group, created this work together in such a short time. Many thanks to everyone involved who made this possible. I will remember this special day for a long time!” - Jonna Hem (participant)
“It is a fantastic feeling to work on such a big and collaborative project. The adrenaline kicks that you get every time you take a step back and see that another small piece on the wall is created. It is a valuable experience to work together with so many different people and seeing each other grow in the process.” - Dianne Zeekaf (intern)
“Afterwards, I was filled with an amazing feeling of wonder and surprise. Two important values for my practice, but also for myself personally. It’s fantastic to have created a work together with a group full of people I had never met before at the end of the day. It’s a really nice feeling to start in the morning with a slightly over ambitious plan and that at the end of the day it all worked out!” - Guido de Boer
