Pubs and art in pastureland
Spread across a distance of some five kilometres on the eastern shore of the Fluessen Lake lie three villages in a row: Kolderwolde, Oudega and Elahuizen. Once a woody area (which can still be seen in the element ‘wolde’ in the name of the village), it is now an open pasture landscape. From the description alone, one would think that there can’t be anything worth seeing here. The opposite is true! Take a bicycle tour along the shores of the lake and you will be treated to land and water, pubs, art and fresh farm products such as sheep’s cheese and farm-fresh ice cream.
The extraction of peat, which took place primarily between 1830 and 1860, has left clear tracks behind in the landscape. Sometimes patches of land turned to peat lie a metre lower than the rest of the area surrounding them. Thanks to the scant distribution of trees, the polders offer a broad view of the landscape.
Kolderwolde consists of a few farms, a few houses and a village pub which has existed for centuries. Statues made by local artist Evert van Hemert may be found along the Oordenwei road through the village. These are known as the “Famkes van Kolderwolde,” which is Frisian for the Girls of Kolderwolde.
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As you drive into the village of Kolderwolde on the Fluessen lake, you will immediately notice a number of bronze statues. Made by local artist Evert van Hemert, they form part of the "Famkes fan Kolderwolde" statue route, Frisian for "Girls of Kolderwolde" and which, as far as Van Hemert is concerned, only come in two varieties: super fat and super thin…
The route is still under construction. Eventually there will be eleven statues of women. Van Hemert gives his creations expressive names like
"Show your Tits", "The Last Churchgoer" and "Venus of Kolderwolde". His voluminous beauties are often accompanied by equally corpulent horses. "Women and horses intrigue me," Van Hemert explains, "and I'm a little afraid of both."
Freedom
Van Hemert's works of art have something fairytale-like about them, which explains why he has been called a lyrical realist. He does everything his own way and feels very strongly about maintaining his freedom. This is why he chose the liberal professional of an artist over a career in advertising, with the accompanying high salary and stress. Likewise, he allowed the opportunity to pass to attend the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam because he didn't agree with the school regime. Evert van Hemert is in the fortunate position of having been able to make a living from his artwork for more than a quarter of a century. He has done so without having to make any concessions, as this artist and sculptor only creates what he wants. And his works are valued internationally. He is not only well-known in Kolderwolde, but also in Los Angeles and Geneva, to name only two of the many places his work is shown.
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