It blows for us

It blows for us is part of the group exhibition Must See in the Zuiderzeemuseum around fifteen Dutch icons curated by Anne van der Zwaag. Elmo Vermijs made a contemporary translation of the Dutch skies by realizing an observatory of a reused windmill and steel frame on the dike, overlooking the IJsselmeer. The object frames the fascinating play of clouds, light, and water, referring to paintings from the 17th century.  
However, something fundamentally is changing in the Dutch skies at the moment. Over the past centuries, the Dutch relationship with water has changed radically. From the fear of, living with, and appropriating, the human hand dominates nowadays the landscape. Moreover, in recent decades, the race for clean and sustainable energy has become an inevitable force. Windmills increasingly claim a physical place in the landscape without questioning their life cycle, materials used in the linear production process, and the impact on the landscape.
It blows for us it questions the visitor: What is the environmental impact of windmills on the phenomenon of Dutch skies? And most of all; are we as sustainable as we claim to be?

Generously supported by
Vic Obdam
KTF Harlingen
Stichting Stokroos