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Guardians of Grunn, from a concept by Nathalie Hartjes, is a graphic novel based on a number of well-known artworks in Groningen’s public spaces. Seven illustrators and three writers worked on a collective story in which these figures are brought to life as a method for achieving greater engagement with the living environment of the city of Groningen.

The project was inspired by the way sculptures in public spaces sometimes emerge as public favourites, or even sources of support and protection for local residents. Since 2018, the outdoor sculpture collection has been in the spotlight for a month every year. The initiator is Kunstpunt Groningen, which administers and develops art in Groningen’s public spaces. By giving extra attention to the public art collection, they bring residents and visitors to the city of Groningen into contact with the diversity of art on the streets.

Video Guardinas of Grunn

Who are our heroes?

For the summer 2025 edition, curator Nathalie Hartjes devised a new heroic epic for Groningen, encapsulated in a graphic novel. In doing so, she had two goals in mind. She hopes to inspire residents and visitors to Groningen that the art around them can give support in everyday life: ‘Who are our heroes today? Why do we draw support from the sculptures around us? And how can we bring them to life? Guardians of Grunn is an exercise in fan fiction and fan art, inviting audiences to become fans of street art too.’ In addition, the project contributes to the professional urban art climate by commissioning cartoonists and starting an interdisciplinary city-wide collaboration.

Grunn

The choice to develop a graphic novel responds to Groningen’s identity as a comic-strip city and creates space to explore and depict current social issues through imaginative approaches. In the graphic novel, Grunn is a version of Groningen where the boundaries of reality are elastic. Just like in the ‘real’ world, people in Grunn face various problems and social challenges, such as accessibility, loneliness, the consequences of the gas extraction, the climate crisis and gentrification. Fortunately, Grunn is blessed: a number of sculptures in public spaces are the hidden home to superheroes dedicated to the city’s liveability. These statues are the silent guardians of the Groningers. A bit like in Peter Pan – if you believe in them, they come alive.

Ten makers took up this idea, each with a character inspired by an artwork in the public space that fights an individual battle against injustice. Each maker depicts their character’s personal mission in their own way, in their own style, illustrative and/or fictional. So it is separate drawing styles that shape the missions of the different characters.

In the graphic novel, De Bleker (The Bleacher), the archetype of the villainous businessman, plays an important role. He targets the power of the statues and sees that power as a new source of energy. So-called clean, but disruptive to society, because his

actions cause statues to disappear from the streetscape, and with them the sense of community. The Guardians of Grunn rise up in rebellion – but can they save Grunn?

From that point onwrds, the different styles were also merged into a single visual whole, and this project raises another question. How do you work together as a collective on a visual experiment, as a creative team consisting of multiple individuals with personal needs and vision?

The publication The Guardians of Grunn was recently presented and can be obtained here. Based on the graphic novel, a public programme will also be organised in June 2025.