Groninger Prospect, a Panorama of the Future at the VNG Conference

Together with photographer Gus Drake, documentary photographer Dirk-Jan Visser portrayed Groningers from the earthquake area who shared their perspectives on the future. On February 24, the parliamentary committee of inquiry into natural gas extraction in Groningen presented its final report, ‘Groningers boven gas.’ There is a lot to repair, both physically and in trust and administrative relations. But it is also the time to look forward again.

In “Groninger Prospect, a Panorama of the Future,” six people from Groningen share their experiences and insights about the problems caused by gas production and talk about what Groningen means to them. They discuss their experience of dealing with the damage and make suggestions from personal experience about the future of Groningen. The six video portraits are surrounded by a panorama of images of the Groningen landscape that show what is about to happen: a landscape-in-formation, a region in
conflict. The images show Groningers, their connection to the landscape, and their struggle against perhaps the irreversible: the effects of the human footprint on the earth.

Renewed Energy

The exhibition ‘Vergezicht Groningen, panorama van de toekomst’ is part of Hernieuwde Energie, a multi-year collaboration (2021-2024) between BPD Cultuurfonds and Noorderlicht in which the developments surrounding Groningen’s gas extraction are artistically depicted.
are depicted artistically. The public program focuses on the present, past, and future. The commissions given to artists give them every opportunity to respond to current events surrounding the consequences of natural gas extraction and the lot of Groningen. Several projects will be presented in 2023, see Renewed Energy and bpdcultuurfonds.nl.