1 & 2 september 2024
1 & 2 september 2024
“We want to seduce people a bit, or deceive and besides entertain,” Huub van Caam takes a look at a stylized pile of roofmate and pur with two wagon wheels. It is the It-Must-Be-Finished weekend for the model. There is still a lot to be done, for only the contours are there. With his knife Huub skilfully cuts the head of the Charlatan, while one by one the other designers are coming in. Then the oiled machine gets going and we soon see the pile of foam and pur taking shape.
“Our designing proces does not usually start with an idea but with a word,” says Huub. “Everyone starts with a personal braindump, after which we start looking for the common factor. This year we found that in the word “exciting”. Eventually we landed on this idea, with a setting in the Middle Ages. That era is also expressed in the sepia colour hues that we use for this float. But a twist was added, and humour.”
The main character stands in the pillory, where he is bombarded, taunted and denounced by the people. The people are incited by the folk storyteller: this man is guilty! The fellow is dragged through the street, tortured and the people are demanding his verdict. All of Zundert run out because you should witness this! The designers hope the spectators will become part of the incitement and will have second thoughts afterwards: what on earth did this man do in fact? This man is condemned before he had a trial! Is this man really that guilty? This is cancel culture of 1325 AD. A topical issue, wrapped in medieval clothing. A scene that is everyday’s business in all forms. In western countries as cancel culture on the internet or TV, in some countries still in fysical form. Without a trial, without defence, as a way of public entertainmnet, as an answer to the people’s call for justice.
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Jens Arnouts (26, project engineer), Huub van Caam (50, trainer coaching and advice), Sander van Hooydonk (29, interior architect) and Maikel van de Korput (36, building performer) are the designers for the hamlet of Schijf again this year. Gradually they have become more than a group of designers. De bond of friendship coupled with idividual talents results in the formation of a stong team.
Original Dutch text: Miranda Eiting
Translation: Emile Wassenaar
Photo: Paul Ranft
Hamlet Schijf
www.buurtschapschijf.nl
This article is brought to you by Corsief. An independent magazine about corsos in general and the Zundert flower parade in particular. The magazine is produced entirely by volunteers, who are all more or less active in the Zundert flower parade world. Corsief is entirely full-colour and appears four times a year.