The Ketelhuisplein in Eindhoven will be brightened up in the coming weeks with a huge painting of more than 1,200 square metres. It is a project by artist Cox Janssens: “The paint is everywhere, but I don’t mind.
A year after artist Toscana Banana was given the honour of creating a huge floor painting, it is now Janssens’ turn. “She said to me that while she was painting, a lot of people walked right through through the paint. I wanted to do something with that. In my painting, all the people are playing with paint.”
She herself is covered in paint. “I think adults are allowed to play and get dirty a bit more. I don’t mind being covered in paint. It’s part of it. I am not embarrassed to get back on the train back with paintall oer my clothes”, she says laughingly.
It’s a lot of work
The huge artwork will be on Ketelhuisplein, the central spot of Strijp-S. Since the turn of the century, the old Philip site has been transformed into a special place to live and work.
“First we numbered the squares on the square. Then we started looking at what to put on each tile and painted the lines and now we are colouring it in,” she says enthusiastically. “It’s a lot of work, though. It’s a painting of about 35 by 35 metres. I am very happy and satisfied so far. I am especially pleasd with all the help and the reactions are cool.”
It’s not something she does every day as an artist. “Normally I work in my studio in Rotterdam. I make drawings for animation films, for example, which go all over the world. I do that digitally on a big drawing screen.”
Janssens was born in Breda, which makes this job special for her. “A place you don’t know where you also get to put something up, that’s cool. All kinds of people come by to help or ask questions. That creates a good atmosphere”.
Part of Art festival”
One of her assistants is Julia Windt. She is busy colouring one of the figures. “Normally I sit at home in my little room making my own things. It’s lovely weather and therapeutic to paint outside here.”
A paint roller on an extension allows Julia to paint for hours at a time. “I did try using a brush at first, but you end up with a sore back and aching knees. Just painting standing up is nice for a change.”
Some 150 litres of paint later, the square at Strijp-S is almost finished and to Janssens’ satisfaction. “Despite the rain these days, it is almost finished. I am very satisfied and am curious to see if there will be a sequel. If there ‘s a nice square somewhere, I will come and paint it.”
The floor drawing is part of the art festival The Art Department. In the Klokgebouw, the Playgrounds foundation is holding all kinds of activities until 19 April.
Source: Studio040.nl
Transalted by: Anitha Sevugan
