For eighteen years, a wall artwork from the former secondary school in Vries lay in the Tynaarlo municipal yard. It has since been forgotten by many, but not by artist Arie Fonk. After all these years, the work of art sees daylight again.
Fonk saved the ‘plastic’ at the time by removing it from the wall of the school. The school was demolished in 2007 and eventually made way for houses. “It was going to be incorporated into a facade. Somehow that never happened, but it has never left my mind,” the artist smiles.
The MAVO came into use at the end of the 1960s. During construction, a percentage of the budget was also included for art. Artist Folkert Haanstra, then living in Vries, made the mosaic in the wall of the teachers’ room. Many students will therefore not have seen it.
The colorful artwork features birds, lots of greenery and also the Swedish dogwood. The flower that also appears in, for example, the current flag of the municipality of Tynaarlo.
Fonk: “It is very nice. I have always brought it to the attention of the civil servants. Now it was a hit, the councilor saw something in it and said we can do something with this.”
The only question that remains now is: where should the work of art be placed? Councilor Hans Kuipers (GroenLinks) would like to see the artwork given a nice place. “I think we will ask residents early next year if they have any great ideas.” According to the councilor, this can be inside or outside.
Tonnie van de Koolwijk has lived in Vries since 1998 and has an idea. “It’s beautiful.” She and her husband had a house built in Vries-Zuid. “There is a beautiful wadi there. I imagine that the artwork will be placed on the edge of that wadi. Then everyone can see it.”
What the final location will be will be known later.