Bouke Bruins

CumLaude

Department: Man and Leisure
Website: www.boukebruins.nl

Prestigious Stereotypes

How can you ever truly evoke a specific place, and what makes people want to go there? Exploring this, Bouke Bruins set off into the rural Dutch countryside of Drenthe. He trekked around with a self-built cart, doing odd jobs along the way in exchange for local stories and objects. He translates these into handcrafted, one-of-a-kind bronze sculptures. Unlike generic souvenirs, these ‘Prestigious Stereotypes’ capture rich, intangible experiences in material form. They tell the real story of the place and the people. This sense of authenticity is what makes the artefacts valuable; appealing invitations for others to come and create their own experiences. It’s all brought together online on stadskracht.com.