Disruptive connection

Makers’ collective Circus Andersom brings a fresh perspective to daily worries with necessary humor. For organisations, places and people. Very human beings.

The world is not a given. It’s the spin you give it every day that determines what you see. It is our specialty to look at so-called obvious things in new ways. In a playful way we help you, your team and your organization to create order on stilts. To examine ingrained patterns and develop fresh alternatives for them. Not a temporary impulse, but creativity as a condition for sustainable change.

Do you have a (specific) question? Are you running into something? Are you interested in a workshop or are you looking for additional content or additional programming for a conference or staff day? Contact us for a no-obligation conversation. WE DO WHAT TO KNOW

Editions

Numerous projects have been added to collections of companies and individuals. These are existing works designed specifically for a particular location. Furthermore, we sell publications and other graphic prints arising from our projects.

Initiatives

We established various initiatives, which are all based on their own policy, design and purpose. We view these projects as different acts having their own place in Circus Andersom. It’s important to us not to solely respond to external questions but to develop and design our own ideas and introduce them to the world as well. The initiatives on this page are mostly continually active and we are always looking for new collaborations and participants.

Commissioned

Based on our background in graphic design we love to work in commission at extraordinary locations, using our insight and expertise. We work for museums, semi- public institutions and more and more often for private companies as well. It could concern projects for which an art piece is required, but we also initiate interactive processes in which visitors or those concerned become part of the project itself.

Workshops

The workshops we provide often grow from experience gained in autonomous projects. We offer our existing workshops for bookings and welcome the opportunity to develop new workshops for specific events or occasions as well.

In addition to hosting workshops, we have experience in art education. In 2014 we collaborated with TAAK to set up a Masters programme at Sandberg Institute. During this Cure Master we research the transformative power of injury and illness.

Lastly, we lecture regularly about our work, specific projects or the outcome of finalised research.

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Interlude

Are you looking for an interlude, entrance ritual, welcome, presentation or an interactive performance at a congress, gathering, anniversary, symposium or a company party for instance? Circus Andersom has 20 years of experience to activate your audience in creative ways.

Please Touch

People seem to be more aware of their fear of physical contact than their desires. In this period in which people become aware of unwanted intimacies via #MeToo, Please Touch breaks through taboos and promotes desired intimacies.

LGBT-ABCD

UIT JE HOKJE is a public starting point for encounters about fear of, and desire for, your own and other people’s sexuality.

Quack Ointment

Quack Ointment - an ointment that helps anyone. It's good for what ails you. The ointment is 100% pure, made of helpful plants and active ingredients, with no chemical additives such as yeast, gluten, colourings, flavourings, or preservatives.

Make them wonder

Circus Andersom won in September 2018 the Victoriefonds Cultuurprijs in the category Visual Arts. Martijn was nominated with Catinka Kersten and Gerben Hermanus. As part of the nomination the three artists showed a selection of their work at Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar.

Temporary Museum

At the Entrance Ritual in the former Bijlmer Bajes visitors of the Temporary Museum were welcomed in a maze of instructions and paper reality.

Accident & Ease Department

An autonomous outpatient clinic where symbolic human figures made of cookie dough were handed out.

The World on your Plate

The Grote Sintlaurenskerk Alkmaar became the living room and kitchen for all the members of Alkmaar for one night.

TAO Bergen

TAO Boxclub is een actieve avond waarbij je op ontspannen en speelse wijze wordt meegevoerd in expressieve en verstillende bewegingsvormen uit de wondere wereld van de TAO.

Performance appraisals for freelancers

As a freelancer you are in charge of the way you work. This offers freedom, but also involves responsibilities: you have to reflect on your own performances. In a challenging walk of about two hours we discover together what your pitfalls are, and how you can get even more success.

Touch My Body

The workshop Touch My Body lets participants experience if their rules about touching need a recalibration.

Medicine Factory Ambulance

The Medicine Factory is a mobile, publicly-accessible workshop where people can gain access to the healing power of nature to produce their own medicines based on their personal complaints.

Economic Affairs

In collaboration with Bas Haring, we used a national poster campaign to teach Dutch citizens a number of lessons about the economy. Instead of paying for the lessons, people could earn money by reading texts through our website.

Put us Down

Circus Andersom helped residents of the eco-neighbourhood Eva Lanxmeer (situated in Culemborg) to get to know visitors to the public art route LekArt 2016. Residents of Eva Lanxmeer were asked to make a seat available along the art route.

No Ball!

No Ball! Is part of the Ball! exhibition at the Soesdijk Palace. Visitors were encouraged to practise in three specialties at the royal house.

Intuitive Human Approach

The Intuitive Human Approach offers you help in difficult situations when you encounter other human beings.

Cure Master

Temporary Master 2014-2016 for the Sandberg Institute. Developed in collaboration with TAAK.

Zinder

Zinder is an online game designed for the citizens of Zaanstad. They are invited to use the game to test their view of the Zaanstad’s future. The player is introduced to various photos, which he or she can indicate as like (‘zin’) or dislike.

Medicine Factory Ambulant

Medicine Factory is an accessible art project by Circus Andersom in which health, responsibility, social cohesion and concern for nature and environment meet in a work setting.

Heerlen Reveals

Commissioned by Gemeente Heerlen (local government of Heerlen) we choose ten existing sculptures in the public space and wrapped them as a present.

Veer Stichting

Visitors received an online form beforehand, comprising questions about their (relation to) identity. Based on their answers, we classified the visitors into inner and outer animal species. These animals were connected to the character sketches of the participants.

Wish here

The Buenos Aires apartment complex, at Kop van Lombok in Utrecht, was completed in September 2014. This is also when shopkeepers moved into the building. The summer before, at the invitation of the City Council of Utrecht, Circus Andersom affixed 104 texts to the complex.

How are you doing?

God is doing well under the circumstances

Loneliness Guide

In these days of multi-communication loneliness seems to be the final taboo. Merely 32% of Dutch people admits to feeling lonely while 98% experiences feelings of loneliness. Stop your resistance to loneliness and embrace it instead.

BANG!

BANG! is a life-sized get-lost-machine where your BANG level determines what you will encounter inside. During the Zomerparkfeest festival in Venlo, visitors wandered around and were surprised by various experiences, such as a giant maze, a boxing session for venting under the main stage, or letting your hair down at the smallest disco in the […]

Intuitive Drug Approach

In commission of Mainline (centre for drug use) we developed Intuitive Drug Approach.

Mini Corporate Takeover

For consultancy firm AEF’s 2014 alumni staff party we devised a Mini Corporate Takeover. In this takeover we created a course that (former) staff members were guided through after entry and through which they left again later, as part of the exit ritual.

In relaxation

For all staff members of the Hersencentrum psychology practice, we developed a day of workshops around the theme of OUT OF YOUR MIND, IN YOUR BODY. In the unusual location of at the Buitenwerkplaats we gave a broad range of workshops, such as the Lotus meditation, the theatrical encounter, the Intuitive Plant Approach, a mudworkshop and the Box Club.

Medicine Factory

Medicine Factory is an accessible art project by Circus Andersom in which health, responsibility, social cohesion and concern for nature and environment meet in a work setting.

Growth Fire

For the Museum Kranenburgh, we made the Growth Fire installation, which we used to study the uniting power of fire. Visitors could write a personal fear (of fire, or of other things) on a sheet of paper and throw it into the fire upon going outside.

Intuitive Approach to Art

Using a step-by-step plan, visitors formulate a personal problem and approach a work of art that appeals to them for emotional reasons. Then the visitor learns to relate to the work of art in a new way.

Placebo’s for art

The Behring Institute has been collecting placebos for art. Long-term research on the influence of art on public health using the collected placebos will be carried out beginning in 2011.

Beter Consortium

BETER conducted a study to measure physiological response of subjects who were looking at art and placebo art. Subjects were placed in a wheelchair, and exposed to a number of diverse artworks and placebo artworks while connected to a device which measures their respiratory rate, perspiration, heart rate, tension in the facial muscles ('laughing muscles') and body temperature.

Bouncing Ballpit

Feel like a child again in the BOUNCING BALLPIT: the ballpit for adults!

Aardig.nu

Aardig.nu asks people to make contact again with the Earth by literally shaking its hand.

Forbidden Signs

Martijn Engelbregt entrenched himself for a week in a big nature park in Veenhuizen. The specific scenery inspired him to paint signs on recycled wood he found in the environment.

Get lost

At the invitation of Pameijer and Kunsthal Rotterdam, Martijn Engelbregt has realised an art installation on the subject of preconceptions and ‘being normal'.

Advice Medicine

In 2010 Circus Andersom devised and designed ADVICE MEDICINE for the Mainline Foundation in order to raise awareness of harm reduction during drugs use. Follow the flow chart and discover which drug you need.

For Oral Consumption

FOR ORAL CONSUMPTION is an extensive publication with all results, conclusions and reflections on the research into the art of health by the BETTER Consortium, an initiative of Circus Andersom in collaboration with TAAK and Medisch Centrum Haaglanden.

Poetry Bingo

As part of the Amsterdam Poëziefestival 2014 (“Amsterdam Poetry Festival”), we were commissioned to develop Poetry Bingo. Poetry Bingo is a game of bingo that visitors could play at the festival during the poetry readings.

Live Poll

For the Middag van het Kinderboek 2013 (“Children’s Books Afternoon”) we ran various activities during the afternoon where the visitors formed live statistics by raising their hands or shaking one another’s hands

The Right to Risks

We made a performative work for the Right to Risks symposium at Utopisch Nest Leiden. We organized an elaborate screening for all visitors in order to start the day without risks.

Live Poll

Voor de Middag van het Kinderboek 2013 maakten we een performatief werk waarbij we de bezoekers indeelden op hun eigen tak binnen de branche en welke tak ze een warm hart toedragen.

Revelations O.G.

Martijn Engelbregt went for walks with the Oude Groenmarkt in Haarlem as a starting point. Every day he chose a different direction.

PRIMAL © Equisetum Remedy

European legislation prohibits us to inform you on this way about the health benefits and healing powers of PRIMAL © Equisetum Remedy.

Please Touch

Group show: Catalysis for Life - New Language of Dutch Art & Design. Together with Maarten Baas, Ted Noten and Tomoko Take.

Fungus Rush Course

Circus Andersom created for Mediamatic's Mushroom Paradise a FUNGUS TEST, for visitors to discover which Fungus Type they are and wether they are ready for the Circus Andersom FUNGUS RUSH COURSE.

Rest.

Every day more than 35 % of our food is thrown away, uneaten. This situation seems no longer sustainable at a time when many are suffering from hunger and we are quickly and increasingly exhausting the Earth. Luckily, there is good news: waste can be eaten!

Just be sustainable for a change

Background music for shopping centre Polderplein in Hoofddorp. These songs were played continuously in the shopping center onInternational buy nothing day, november 11th 2009. The text Just be sustainable for a moment is repeated over and over again.

Nothing is enough (Heden)

The designers, artists and collectors Martijn Engelbregt and Herman van Bostelen collect material they could use for their work. Eventually, this collection of material becomes an archive, and an archive generally has a system so that you can find things in it easily.

Nothing is enough (Utopisch Nest)

Circus Andersom developed a poster campaign that could be seen all over Leiden.

Normal Assen

What is normal? Circus Andersom asked this question of all the inhabitants of Assen, the capital city of the province of Drenthe.

GIANT monument

Fries Museum assigned an art project to Martijn Engelbregt about architecture in Leeuwarden. Engelbregt delivered 45.000 bricks door to door, one for each house in Leeuwarden.

Shop for Neighbours

The Shop for Neighbours is a mobile shop filled with products specially developed for situations involving neighbours, from deep-pile slippers to welcoming doorway parties, from YES-YES stickers to wiedergutmachung presents.

Be with us

"THEM WITH US" reads the neon sign on the façade of the ancient City Hall of Venlo, the birthtown of xenophobic Dutch politician Geert Wilders.

Just be sustainable for a change

Background music for shopping centre Polderplein in Hoofddorp. These songs were played continuously in the shopping center onInternational buy nothing day, november 11th 2009. The text Just be sustainable for a moment is repeated over and over again.

One-Day Hike

The first One-Day Hike took place on Saturday 25 September 2010. The One-Day Hike is a hiking trail of exactly 23.35 kilometers along the boundaries of the Escamp district in The Hague.

OUR THEIR

For the Ministry of Finance I designed two coins worth 5, - and 10, - euro commemorating the 400th birthday of Dutch sea war hero Michiel de Ruyter.

Neighbourhood Shop

The Neighbourhood Shop is a mobile store filled with products that are custom designed for neighbourly situations – everything from sound-reduction slippers to an all-inclusive block party bash, and from ‘No Junk Mail’ stickers to neighbourly reparation gifts.

Democratic Artwork

Research for a democratic artwork for the neighbourhood in Gorinchem, The Netherlands, called the KREMLIN.

Hotline to the People

Telemarketing instrument of the Dutch Parliament

W.v.u.e.d.u.g.w.o.d.p.?

For ‘Plein Museum’, accompanied by a microphone and cameraman he asked visitors to Amsterdam’s Museumplein what they thought of being filmed. This was simultaneously shown on a large projection screen erected in the middle of the park.

Counterscript

Turn the tables on your uninvited caller with this script.

the Service

De Dienst (the Service) presented a number of works of art, asking the Dutch people to react and vote for a work of art to be placed in the Dutch Parliament. People could also send in their own ideas and were involved in the process of choosing those works of art that would be installed.

Niet storen

In de zomer van 2005 hebben we in een bijna ouderwets Hollands weidelandschap in het Kromme Rijngebied langs een toeristische fietsroute dit bord van 70 m2 geplaatst.

Art* in Ypenburg

All inhabitants off the new 'town' Ypenburg receive an Art* form with questions like: What is your favorite colour? Are you interested in a custom artwork?Do you 'feel' for art? Would you like to have a personal conversation about art?

Regoned

How do the people of Amsterdam respond to the official questions of whether they’re illegal, whether they know illegal immigrants, or if they’re prepared to divulge this information? Around Christmas 2003, 200,608 households in Amsterdam received this questionnaire.

The Bag of Discontent

Elke Hoogstrater in Vlaardingen kon zijn of haar onvrede kwijt in de ONVREDEZAK, waarna deze op gezette tijden werd opgehaald: De Hoogstraat kende geen onvrede meer en kon met een schone lei beginnen.