striking case in point. In Weiner's theatre play Niets aan verloren Nothing to
lose Abramovic takes the role of a Zeelandic farmer's woman. Niets aan verloren
balances between painting, theatre plays, visual art and theatre in general. During
the same manifestation Rémy Zaugg took the challenge to work together with
Marina Abramovic and Ulay.
Participation
'Participation, arguably the most important and distinctive aspect of Forum,
came forth from an art trend in the United States: the workshop. You could use a
workshop to animate a small or large group and to simultaneously let this group
experience cultural changes, even major ones, on the spot through participation.
In this way, art as action or interaction was brought closer to reality. Although
lectures were also held during Forum to delve into what had been experienced,
the workshops predominated the manifestations. The combination of listening
to an artist's lecture, and also having the chance to actively participate in and un
derstand the artist's mentality and artistic approach was quite rare.32 Workshops
were also organised in De Appel in Amsterdam, but it was in Middelburg that this
art form was most strongly promoted.33 This active participation was something
that the Boezems strongly had in mind. In the program booklet of 1984, Forum
en Scène, Maria-Rosa writes that the cooperation between artist and audience in
workshops and lectures provides the artists, as well as the participants, a more
complete picture of the work and ideas of the lecturing artist. The active partici
pation 'adds an extra dimension' to the experience of art.34
This active participation is repeatedly reflected in Forum's various programs
throughout the years. In 1981 for example, the year that was marked by Design,
Anthon Beeke wrote, regarding his workshop, that:
230
The Art of Remembering Forum: the Local Memory
A number of assignment situations from the practice of the book/magazine cov
ers and affairs will be the starting point. The trainees can criticize, break down
and then offer me their own alternative solutions. I hope to teach them some
thing about the creative process that is nothing more than finding a visual and
substantive form of transmission.35
32 Ronald van Tienhoven, interviewed by Eva Langerak, April 20, 2018,
33 Antje Von Graevenitz, interviewed by Eva Langerak, April 13, 2018.
34 Maria-Rosa Boezem, foreword in program booklet of Forum en Scène, 1984
35 Anthon Beeke, program booklet of Forum Design, 1981.
