ESNS Art 2025 | ‘O Denneboom’ | Koos Buist
Temporary art in public spaces
For several years now, ESNS and Kunstpunt Groningen have been joining forces for ESNS Art. An initiative with the aim of surprising festival visitors with art from local artists. In 2025, we invited artist Koos Buist to reflect on the possible future. The result was his impressive installation O Denneboom, an image that you could not ignore during the vibrant ESNS. With the work, Buist reflected on the complex relationship between man and nature.
🗓️ The installation could be visited for free on the Grote Markt during ESNS on 16 and 17 January 2025.
O Denneboom
Koos Buist developed a work of art especially for ESNS that was on display in the middle of the Grote Markt: O Denneboom. With this work, Koos showed his involvement with current themes. He seized the moment of the event to playfully question the public about the way in which we deal with nature. In what way do we as humans relate to nature and do we manipulate it? How is this reflected in our daily lives?
The Christmas tree brings together much of the complex relationship between man and nature. A living, growing organism with roots in both mystical stories and our modern traditions, cosily decorated with lights in the house during dark days. Buist added another story to the life of these trees and connected all the elements into an installation that raised more questions than it offered answers.
Workshop making ‘root creatures’
Koos Buist worked together with group 8 of IKC Borgman Oosterpoort and visual artist Marnix Sixma to philosophize about the future of nature and what could be under the ground. The students’ thoughts about the future could be heard by visitors via a classic red telephone that was set up at O Denneboom. When it went off, you could hear the children’s stories. Buist also made mystical creatures from Christmas tree roots together with the students. These creatures, as it were small nature spirits, were on display during ESNS at the pop-up location of Kunstpunt, in the former Vapiano building on the Nieuwe Markt.
On Friday 17 January, from 3-5 p.m., children, parents and passers-by could come by for free in the tent on the Grote Markt, for a workshop on making root creatures. Buist gave the workshop in which participants built their own creatures with roots, rope, stone, feathers, clay and branches.
Over Koos Buist
In the work of Koos Buist, the search for connection between people and local nature is central. References to philosophy, science and mythology run like a common thread through this search and the works. His projects emphasize collaboration and public participation to build relationships between people and nature. His practice includes film, theater, spatial works and landscape projects. In 2024, Buist graduated cum laude with a Master in Interrelational Art Practices (iRAP) from the Frank Mohr Institute.
Want to know more about Koos?
O Denneboom is an artwork by Koos Buist commissioned by ESNS and Kunstpunt Groningen. ESNS Art is made possible by the Mondriaan Fund, Talent van Hier and Groninger City Club.