Residents of Beijum can vote online for their favorite artwork from June 15 through June 30, 2026: Voice of Groningen

Artwork for the Beijum neighborhood in Groningen

Gerard de Hoop, along with Volken de Vlas (Studio Volop) and other artists, have been invited by the City of Groningen and the residents’ group Kunstwerk Beijum to create a preliminary design for a public artwork to be installed on or near the roundabout in the Beijum neighborhood of Groningen.

This preliminary design depicts a stylized pollarded willow. The trunk, constructed from old bricks, symbolizes the original village of Beijum and its history. From this trunk grow 45 golden branches, incorporating all the neighborhoods within the district. The branches represent the green and vibrant character of Beijum and the rich diversity of its residents. Together, they form an image of connectedness, growth, and the district’s unique identity.

Beijum is a green “cauliflower neighborhood” with a clear connection to the past. The pollarded willows here give the neighborhood its character and serve as a reminder of the original landscape. The pollarded willow used to serve a practical purpose. Its roots reinforced the banks of ditches. The branches were used as firewood and for weaving.

In Beijum, pollarded willows are more than just greenery. They form a living record of the neighborhood’s history.

There are three potential locations for the artwork. This is location 1: between the bike path and the highway.

Location 2: The roundabout.

Location 3: embankment along the ring road & exit ramp

View from the ring road, with the artwork serving as a landmark for the Beijum neighborhood.