After more than 20 years as a key member of the Oerol team, this year we bid farewell to Kees Lesuis. It’s not an easy task, as Kees has meant so much to Oerol over the years, first as artistic director and later as head of (inter)national collaborations.
Before officially stepping down, he embarked on one final journey, taking the ferry from Kiel to Gothenburg to attend an event on behalf of Oerol. He traded the Dutch plains for a few days in the Norwegian fjords, where he attended a two-day gathering of the In Situ network.
In Situ is an international network for European festival organisations, with the shared goal of developing arts in public spaces. This network is vital for Oerol due to the wealth of knowledge and experience brought in by all its participants. Each country has its own unique context regarding public spaces and landscapes, which in turn affects how organisations operate. Through this exchange, we learn from one another and continue to develop on a European level. The network has also paved the way for many Dutch creators to make their mark abroad over the past 20 years, including Strijbos & Van Rijswijk, Collectief Walden, Emke Idema, and Johannes Bellinkx. Similarly, international creators have come to Terschelling to work with Oerol.
The gathering coincided with three project visits: a walk through a nature reserve/industrial area with stunning viewpoints and soundscapes; a route through shop windows featuring images and texts from various performances by Danish artist Nana Francisca Schøtlander, staged in landscapes around Fredrikstad and in a massive recycling plant; and a city walk that explored the city’s history in a philosophical manner. Each of these projects offered a unique way of experiencing environments that you either didn’t know or had never seen from that perspective.
“Art is always evolving and reflects on society, so you will always encounter new forms. What happens within In Situ is that we look beyond existing theatre and art forms, exploring how new forms can emerge that engage the audience in different ways. It’s very much about the development of art and how the audience is taken along in that process.”
– Kees Lesuis
For Oerol, sharing experiences on an international level is incredibly valuable, and we will continue to do so, even with Kees’ departure. Mikey Martins, Oerol’s general director, will take over from Kees. For Kees, after 20 years with Oerol, a new chapter in his artistic career is beginning, in which his international network will undoubtedly continue to play a role.
