Have your favorite tools photographed and see it again at the end of this year in the artwork Tútsjend Ark (kissing tools) in Drachten. Artist Loes ten Anscher in honor of the 102-year anniversary of the Drachtster Dada movement, creates a work of art that pays tribute to the Drachtster hand tools. Innovatiecluster Drachten provides behind the scenes technical support that brings this artwork to life.

On January 26 and 27, Ten Anscher and her team photograph Drachtsters' favorite hand tools for the artwork. This will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Zuiderbuurt 57. Loes makes silhouettes from the photographed tools. "These will soon all decorate the luminous ceiling in the Woksteeg," explains the artist. “The ceiling responds to the 'underpassers' through an innovative technique. Who, as it were, kisses the tools awake."

blushing and kissing

After the photo session, high-tech company employees scan Stork Turbo Blade in Sneek five selected tools. Using a special 3D scanner and special software developed by Stork, man-sized models are made that will hang in the Kerkstraat. “We have now made a 3D model of the first claw hammer. This model has been scaled up from 35 centimeters to a hammer of 2 meters," says Gerrit Mulder, engineering & quality control manager at Stork. According to him, the small scale model was too detailed, after which it was converted to a coarse triangular surface model. The first prototype of this was made by a specialized company on a scale of 1 to 1. "The idea is for the five tools to become spinning lanterns, kissing each other blushing from time to time."

Dada and De Stijl

The brothers Thijs and Evert Rinsema, idiosyncratic and versatile shoemakers from Drachten, are the inspiration for the artworks to be made. "About 100 years ago, they were the pivot in the Drachtster DADA movement," explains Ten Anscher. “At that time, the most beautiful products were made using only hand tools. The craft was rampant.” During the First World War, the Rinsema brothers had befriended the visual artist, poet, painter and architect Theo van Doesburg. He later founded De Stijl and Drachten owes the Papagaaibuurt to him. Doesburg brought Kurt Schwitters to Drachten. He wrote the 'We w88888888' poem, but is best known for his collages of found papers. In Drachten, Schwitters and shoemaker Thijs Rinsema made collage boxes that were made by a Drachtster furniture factory. In the works of art to be made by Ten Anscher, the Drachtster hand tools regain that leading role.

The artwork can be seen from the end of 2019 in the Woksteeg and the Kerkstraat in Drachten.