About the TEGEN-BEELD Foundation
The year of 1992 was the 75th anniversary of the Leiden literary magazine De Stijl (the style). To commemorate this event, Ben Walenkamp conceived of the idea to paint twenty poems of the founder of De Stijl, Theo van Doesburg, on some walls in Leiden. Although this was not endorsed by the Municipality of Leiden, the vignette of De Stijl was incorporated into the paving stones in front of Van Doesburg’s studio. In addition, a wall painting of the Russian avant-garde artist El Lissitzky was applied to the former flour factory.
This led Ben Walenkamp to the idea of applying poems in various languages on walls across Leiden, for which he asked painter Jan Willem Bruins. To this end, the TEGEN-BEELD Foundation was established in 1993. This seemed fitting, as in those days Leiden promoted itself as being a city for refugees, and Leiden University was renowned for its wide array of language studies.
Over the years, project Dicht op de muur (literally: ‘close to the wall / poem on the wall’) grew to over a hundred poems and was finalised in 2005 with the application of wall poem 101, De Profundis by Federico García Lorca (1898-1936). Owing to the tremendous amount of attention the wall poems attracted, the TEGEN-BEELD Foundation has since realized several more. Some older poems were also restored by the foundation.
About Taalmuseum
Taalmuseum was founded in 2016 to promote knowledge about and enthusiasm for language. The organization is a Leiden University initiative that is supported by the municipality of Leiden. In 2017 it teamed up with the TEGEN-BEELD Foundation and Dr V. Nyst (Leiden University) to realize a poem in Dutch Sign Language in the Leiden Hortus Botanicus. From this collaboration, the idea for this new website was born.
About this website
The information on this website was collected by a large number of volunteers, students and professionals. We are always open to contributions or suggestions. If you would like to help improve this website, have a look at our Frequently Asked Questions or contact us directly at muurgedichten@taalmuseum.nl.
Researchers:
Angélique van Drunen, Anne de Rooij, Anne Wielinga, Arie de Kluijver, Athina Kyrizaki, Bonka Borisova, Carmen Barnhoorn, Carolien Devilee, Chris Flinterman, Cindy Smits, Clara Osterhaus, Diana Sol, Dorien Hooma, Eep Francken, Elisabet Garcia, Ellen van Dilst, Emmy Stevens, Eva van Santen, Farah Nikijuluw, Frans Los, Geralde Lagendijk, Gisel·la Soler i Bertolin, Giulia Boosten, Graziella Raiz, Haico de Graaf, Hansje Weijer, Helena Ros i Redon, Jan Buijsse, Jannet van der Hoek, Jeanna Malokos, Joris D. Raven, Kaylee Branse, Lianne Heslinga, Maarten Mentzel, Marijke Visch, Nikki de Ruiter, Nikki Spoelstra, Pink Metzler, Rick van Vliet, Robert Clark, Saskia Kanij, Siebren Ruijg, Sophie van Aardenne, Susannah Herman, Tessa Askamp, Yavne van der Raaf.
Voice actors:
Abhishek Avtans, Athina Kyrizaki, Bahar Soohani, Bonka Borisova, Cecile Verburg, Céline Zaepffel, Christoph Pieper, Çiğdem Billur Ada, Dali de Graaf, Douwe Breimer, Elisabet García González, Els Bogaerts, Gisel·la Soler i Bertolin, Graziella Rais, Irene Sluiter, Jack Smith, João Carvalho, Kiyo Fujiki, Libèrta Rosario, Lea Grüter, Leo van Zanen, Leticia Pablos Robles, Lex van Iterson, Luoyi Cai, Naomi Nota, Natalia Sawicka, Nicole Carvajal, Niels Schiller, Nurenzia Yannuar, Nynke Feenstra, Oscar Billing, Rick van Vliet, Roberta Bertini Viegas, Roger Tol, Shanica Richardson, Siebren Ruijg, Susannah Herman, Victoria Kulakova, Zina Anisimova, Zofia Marianna van der Kroft.
Project team:
Andreas Miranda (audio), Anne Oosthuizen, Demi van de Wetering, Natasja Oorthuis, Rianne Koene (vertalingen), Anoesjka Minnaard (productie en fotografie), Beatmonkey (audio), Ben Walenkamp, Eline Levering, Erik Schilp, Hetty Leijdekkers, Jacowies Surie, Joni Houtman (audio), Pepijn Reeser (inhoud), Peter Boorsma (techniek), Robin Stam (vormgeving), Tessa Askamp (projectleiding).
Special thanks to:
Alex Reuneker, Alwin Kloekhorst, Aphroditi Zoulfoukaridis, Arie Sonneveld, Bernhard Hommel, BplusC, Claartje Levelt, Douwe Breimer, Ed Visser, Emma Zijm, Erik Kwakkel, Erik Siebel, Erwin Werkers, George Saad, Gert Oostindie, Gijs van Es, Gulnaz Sibgatullina, Han Nijssen, Hans van der Meij, Inge Harsten, Ingrid Tieken, Jasper Visser, Jenny Audring, Jeroen Wiedenhof, John Stelck, Joop van Gerven, Kate Bellamy, Katinka Zeven, Katja Lubina, Leendert Beekman, Lettie Dorst, Maarten Mous, Marjan Voorkamp, Matthijs Holwerda, Michiel Keller, Minke Schat, Naomi Nota, Niels Schiller, Nivja de Jong, Nurenzia Yannuar, Olga Crapels, Patricia Nauta, Thony Visser, Ton van der Wouden, Ton van Haaften, Xander Vertegaal.
The renewed muurgedichten.nl was made possible through the contributions of: Leiden University, Municipality of Leiden, Fonds 1818, WOZfonds, Zabawas.
About the wall poems
Nowhere else in the Netherlands can so many beautiful wall poems be found as in Leiden. This is largely owing to a large number of private individuals and entrepreneurs who have contributed, financially or otherwise. Collaboration with Leiden University, where almost all the world’s languages are studied, has also been of tremendous importance. The following parties have contributed substantially since 1992: BURGY Bouwbedrijf, Leiden University, Leiden University Center of Linguistics (LUCL), Kejo Steigerbouw, KITLV, Municipality of Leiden, Studio America, Tra[design], van Borselen & Co Verfwarenhandel.