Cut through the divide

Official part of the Museum van de Geest collection and the tallest mural in Haarlem to date. A great initiative bringing mental well-being into the open through art in the public space.

The stories of young people and neighbourhood residents from Meerwijk formed the basis: conversations had during workshops, gatherings, and spontaneous encounters. The artwork explores mental well-being, stigma, nature, and connection.

The design incorporates the metaphor of rock, paper, scissors. A centuries-old game popular among young people, but also a way to deal with differences of opinion or conflict, for example during a football match. An outcome you may not always be happy with, but one in which you still respect each other.

In the artwork, the scissors cut through a rough stone, revealing its brightly coloured centre. After all, how often are our perceptions just as hard as a stone? Graffiti, a "disadvantaged neighbourhood," stigmas from the outside. But if you look from the other side, you'll see young people creatively expressing, a neighbourhood full of resilience, and people who are finding ways to live together.