Don’t be scared: living statues tonight in the center of Zaandam

The festival comes from Arnhem, where it has been organized a total of thirteen times. “It was a small part of a big festival at first,” says the organizer. The street with those ‘living statues’ was always packed with people. Then I thought: ‘if we magnify that and make it a kind of World Cup…'”

Hagen got down to business and went to the big cities of Europe, scouting for talent. “We literally got them off the street. We didn’t throw money in their bowl, but an invitation to a meeting in the evening. We asked them if they wanted to come to our world championship in Arnhem.”

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After the years in Arnhem, he actually wanted to organize the world championship in China. “I couldn’t get along with the alderman in Arnhem, but it was more important that we go to China. That was canceled because of corona.” After a few years of standstill, Alkmaar has the honor and twenty-five statues are already in Zaandam a week in advance.

The artists we will see in Zaandam come from sixteen different countries. It promises something if you go by the words of Hagen: “If you have won a prize with us, your agenda is full for the coming years. Then you fly all over the world. So that’s why they always like to come back to us. I look forward to seeing them again, because because of corona we haven’t been able to do anything for a number of years.”

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He continues: “Now all those really good artists no longer perform on the street. This is a world of difference with what you see in Amsterdam on Dam Square. These people only perform at corporate events or festivals.”

Tonight the images can be seen from 7.30 pm on the Gedempte Gracht in Zaandam. There will also be plenty to see tomorrow from 13.00 to 17.00, on the Gedempte Gracht, but also on the West side up to the Bullekerk.