Opening exhibition "FREIHEITSSTROM" on 8 May 2025

The cross-border art project "FREIHEITSSTROM - VRIJHEIDSSTROOM" is an initiative of the city of Bocholt and the Gemeente Doetinchem (Netherlands) together with the city museums of both cities on the occasion of "80 years of peace & freedom". It brings together artists from both countries who work together in tandems. The artist teams were brought together as part of a "Tandem Matching Day" and their ideas were selected by an independent jury of experts.

The number 8 plays a central role here: the end of the Second World War on 8 May 1945, the horizontal 8 as a symbol of infinity and the 8 artist tandems creating 8 sculptures - some in close collaboration with local craft businesses.

Themes of freedom and peace take centre stage

The exhibition will open on Thursday, 8 May 2025, at 6 pm, behind the LernWerk Bocholt, Industriestraße 1, 46395 Bocholt. The artworks deal with themes such as freedom, the pursuit of peace and the dynamics of cultural trends. The Bocholter Aa and the Dutch Oude Ijssel, which connect the two cities, are not only geographical but also symbolic elements of the project.

Challenges mastered in the realisation

Curator Verena Winter is enthusiastic about the diversity of the artistic works and promises an inspiring experience for visitors from both countries. FREIHEITSSTROM - VRIJHEIDSSTROOM has become a real challenge for the participating artists and all those involved in the project. Again and again, solutions had to be found for special requirements.

Artworks change across borders in September

What's more, the sculptures will change locations at the end of August! The artworks that are first on display in Bocholt will go to Doetinchem. And vice versa. Therefore, a second opening (midissage) will also take place on Sunday, 31 August 2025 at 2.00 pm, which will also take place at LernWerk. The fact that this art project could be realised at all is of course primarily thanks to the artist tandems as well as the craft businesses and companies that have supported the artists in a variety of ways.

Support from many sides

But there are also many other people involved: technicians and helpers who, for example, created and erected the substructures in Bocholt; the artist network WEB in Doetinchem, which provided the substructures for their project "20 op een rei"; the fact that a dedicated webpage was built for the art project in German and Dutch. Many people and organisations are behind the cross-border project FREIHEITSSTROM. The organisers would like to thank them. The FREIHEITSSTROM project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the city of Bocholt and the municipality of Doetinchem as part of the Interreg programme Germany-Netherlands.

Location search via the Internet

The exact locations of the 8 artworks in Bocholt and Doetinchem can be found on the FREIHEITSSTROM website https://www.bocholt.de/freiheitsstrom. All 8 artist tandems are also briefly presented there. Flyers are also available at various locations. Both locations invite you to go on excursions and cycle tours. Bocholt and Doetinchem have been enriched by very special works of art! They can be viewed until 8 November 2025 on the kubaai site in Bocholt and on the IJssel in Doetinchem.