49m2 Fall: Urša Prek

From September 22nd to December 21st, Urša Prek will be Artist in Residence of the 49 square meters in the Zaartpark in Breda. The 49m2 project is a long-term research project into public space, set up by Gerrit-Jan Smit in collaboration with Witte Rook. Each working period is concluded with a publication written by an external author and an observation by the artist themselves, published on the online platform of Witte Rook. You can also visit the venue of project 49m2 during the whole period at any time.

Urša Prek: “And so it appeared, growing slowly, erecting from the ground. A monolith, standing tall, carrying an object that became a symbol of my past. This artefact is a monument, a time capsule to mark the point of no return. I helplessly kiss past moments goodbye as I watch them disappear beyond the event horizon.
My work has grown closer and closer related to the investigations of nostalgia: the ultimate utopia found in the past, the wishful thinking, the distorted memory. How much of it is real? Time. Ageing. The monolithic structure pays an absurd tribute to a trivial moment from the past. This sacred object in Zaartpark is, therefore, creating a mystical ground for temporal worship.”

About 49m2:
In Zaartpark Breda you can find a demarcated piece of land with a surface area of ​​49m2, where the municipality of Breda will no longer carry out maintenance for the next 20 years. According to the agreement concluded with artist Gerrit-Jan Smit, anyone can intervene within these 7 x 7 meters, except the local government. Every season an artist is invited to observe the place in relation to the environment, the passers-by and their own practice. In Fall 2022, the seventh year of this project will commence with artists Urša Prek (Fall), Anne Leijdekkers (Winter), Britte Koolen (Spring) and Penelope Cain (Summer), followed by the new Fall residency of Heidi Vogels.