A Schelde Riverscape

Landscapes are elusive. They defy every attempt to commit them to paper. Rising sea levels and the inevitable heavy rainfall make Flanders a very dangerous place during spring tide. Government agencies and engineering firms work hard to keep the water in check. The River Schelde gets more space, dikes are moved in a constantly shifting panorama. This book features a series of drawings that portray the landscape between Vlassenbroek and Broekkant - made by workers, artists, and visitors, from nearby and far afield. Enthusiasts who seized the challenge, because en plein air is the tradition here. In the last century painters and sketch artists loved to try their hand at representing the river or they ventured into the polder. The tradition had faded but it was revived as a slow and last-minute attempt to capture the fleeting landscape. This book is part of Tekenen in Vlassenbroek (2014-15), an art project by Wapke Feenstra (Myvillages), commissioned by the Vlaams Bouwmeester and Waterwegen & Zeekanaal in association with the Municipality of Dendermonde.