Izabela Boloz, 2016

Location: Rev. W.E. den Hertogschool, Luxemburgstraat 7, The Hague

Space for an art commission is not always easy. Inside the building, coat racks, fire hoses and lamps shrink the available space to a fraction of what it looks like on drawings. And even the outdoor space is often already packed with playground equipment and street furniture. Among the students at the Rev. W.E. den Hertog School, there was a deep desire for a new climbing apparatus long before the new building was completed. Money was even raised for this through a marathon. For the art commission, the school wanted something in which the students could expend their energy.

To match the world of the students as closely as possible, a group was included in the art committee. The choice fell on Izabela Boloz, an artist/designer born in Poland and working in the Netherlands since her studies at the Design Academy in Eindhoven. In her designs, she often uses situations in public space, such as waiting, walking and looking. For the Rev. W.E. den Hertog School she made three sketch designs, from which the students could choose. When the site for the artwork had to be determined, it turned out that a climbing apparatus was already planned here. It seemed it would be take it or leave it, but fortunately it didn't come to that. Izabela Boloz and the manufacturer of the climbing apparatus - NOVUM Netherlands - proved able to integrate the standard parts into her design. The students also played with the various elements in a workshop led by Izabela, creating an optimal composition. Afterwards, Izabela still had to work through a thick paper of safety rules. With the help of the climbing apparatus company, she finally managed to put everything together in time to create a unique piece of playground equipment/art.