See and feel the meeting between nature and consumer society in a new perspective with Watchtower by Johannes Bellinkx – unique, interactive installations along Fredrikstads coastal path!

23. May – 26. September
    Interactive installations along the trail at
    Øra/Frevar

Watchtower is a unique “landscape theater” where the audience themselves are performers. The work will consist of several different installations placed along the coastal path that forms the border between Frevar (the municipality’s landfill and processing plant for energy recycling) and Øra Nature Reserve.

Belgian Johannes Bellinkx is fascinated by the area, which represents an existential challenge in our time: How do we deal with the ever-increasing amounts of waste from consumer society – and, at the same time, preserve nature?

The title Watchtower is partly inspired by the lookout towers in the area. It can also be read as an invitation to keep an eye on what is happening to the nature around us.

At each stop along the trail, there is an installation where visitors may assume a specific position to gain a unique perspective on their surroundings, curated through the body’s position and a dynamic soundscape.

Practical info

Where to start: You may access the route from several different paths. However, if you arrive by car, a good starting point will be “Dishplassen rasteplass”, the picnic area in Gansrødbukta. The first installation is located about 60 meters west of the hiking road west of the walking path “Turstien”.
>>See map here

Each installation takes 5-8 minutes to experience, and may be excperienced on its own.
However, we recommend you walk the entire trail, and try out all the installations!
This will take about 2 hours in total.

About Johannes Bellinkx

Bellinkx is an artist working in the intersection of performance, film, installation and sound art. Many of his works explore sensory impressions by choreographing the audience’s bodies or gaze. He was last in Norway with the much acclaimed production Reverse in 2021, where he made people in Fredrikstad walk backwards for 2 kilometers. Together with sound artist Sjoerd Leijten, he has created the commissioned work Watchtower, which will premiere on May 23rd 2024. The installations will be available to the audience until September 26th 2024-

Credits

Concept and artistic realisation: Johannes Bellinkx
Sound artist: Sjoerd Leijten
Technical realisation: Bjørn Gunnar Otten,Thijs Wieman, Øyvind Andresen, Knut Ole Ringstad, Tars Potters, Han Ruiz Buhrs, Karel Bellinkx, Wybe de Haan
Sound technique: Sjoerd Leijten
Curator-Producer: James Moore
Technical director: Bjørn Gunnar Otten
Production coordinator: Fredrik Borgund
Production assistant: Daniel Halvonik
PR: Ida Willassen
Marketing: Hilde Marthinsen
Artistic and academic advice: Marius Grønning and Salomé Vögelin

Commissioned and produced by Østfold Internasjonale Teater
Co-production: SoAP Maastricht
Partners: FREVAR KF, Øra Båtforening,

Special thanks to: Cristell Solberg and Tove Tesdal, Bjørn Frostad / Øra Økopark, BirdLife Østfold, Fredrik Ellefsen / Gudeberg lokalsamfunnsutvalg, Fredrikstad kommune.

Watchtower is supported by IN SITU, the European platform for artistic creation in public space, in the frame of the project (UN)COMMON SPACES, co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. Co-funding: C-Takt and Viken/Østfold County

§112 Fredrikstad

This production is an integral part of §112 Fredrikstad a new arts and culture festival, which over four months will explore whether we are good ancestors. The backdrop is the constitution’s environmental clause. Through cultural experiences, conversations, public meetings and debate, §112 will present climate issues to the public in a new way. Read more at paragraf112.no

Press photos