Genius Loci – Faisel Saro (2023)

Annually, Kunstpunt Groningen and Noorderzon commission a Groningen-based artist to create an artwork for the Noorderzon Festival. This year, Faisel Saro was chosen for the task. For the festival, he has created ‘Genius Loci,’ an installation measuring 11 by 30 meters, consisting of textile panels adorned with black and white drawings. Faisel Saro explains, “Genius Loci signifies the soul of a place.” Inspired by Winti, a Surinamese religion, the artist uniquely portrays the layered nature of the world. “I found it beautiful to depict the spirit of Noorderzon. This is why I looked at old maps. When you walk through Noorderplantsoen, for example, you are actually walking on the old city walls. I respond to these maps by indicating paths where I once experienced something. In this way, I’ve taken fragments from various layers of the past and connected them in my installation.”

Kunstpunt has a longstanding tradition of showcasing artworks by Groningen artists at the Noorderzon Festival. Through these commissions, Kunstpunt aims to provide promising artists with a platform to present themselves to a large audience.

Would you like to learn more about Genius Loci, Faisel Saro, and his artistic process? In the video below, he shares more about it.