Together with the residents of Hof van Adwaita, the Municipality of Deventer, Wonen Boven Winkel and Street Art Street, a new mural has been realized in Deventer city center. The purpose of the mural is to make the entrance of the Adwaita court more attractive for residents and visitors and to better connect Assenstraat with the court. The mural is part of a major residents' initiative to green, make and connect the Hof van Adwaita.

The Story Behind the Painting

In the design for the mural, the artist GOMAD has maintained his unique style, in which eyes, plants, animals and organic color forms play an important role. The lotus flower and the lotus bird are central. With its long tail and neck, the bird makes the connection between the high outer wall and the low underpass, drawing you into the court, as it were. The leaves and flowers fill a large part of the outer wall on the court side and create the green element on the wall. The other use of color is subdued and warm. The brick wall remains partly unpainted, so that the mural blends in nicely with the whole of the building.

GOMAD was inspired for this work of art by a text about the Hindu God Brahmâ: In the text it is told how Brahmâ got his heads. Brahmâ created a woman from herself and fell in love with her. She tried to escape his amorous glances, but time and again Brahmâ got another head to keep seeing her. The penetrating eyes in the mural represent the above text and lure the viewer from the street towards the underpass to have a look. The portrait of writer / poet and namesake of the court J. Dèr Mouw (Adwaita) seems to be looking out at the court with satisfaction from a height. Or is he trying to avoid the woman's gaze? This as a nod to the Hindu God with the many heads. A mural as a real eye-catcher.

Court of Adwaita

The Hof van Adwaita is located in Deventer city center between Assenstraat, Vleeshouwerstraat and Kleine Overstraat. The entrance to the court is on Assenstraat, near where DIY store and cabinet maker Jan Rauw used to be located. Wonen Bovenwinkel Deventer has realized various apartments and studio spaces in the Hof.

This 19th century courtyard has an interesting history. In 1873 a public Higher Civic School for girls was established on this site in the building previously known as School B. The headmistress's son, JA Der Mouw, was a poet and also the court's namesake. He wrote under the pseudonym Adwaita, which means 'dualityless' (different and yet one).

During the Second World War, the building on Assenstraat was requisitioned by the Germans. During the construction of the apartments, many historical elements, both on the inside and on the courtyard itself, have been preserved, including part of the cells from the Second World War. The inscriptions of the prisoners can still be read in the cellars of the current Adwaita Court.

On one of the outer walls a line of poetry by the poet Adwaita has been applied as a mural: 'k am Brahman. But we are without a girl. ' According to experts, this sentence is the summary of the problems that Der sleeve struggled with in his life: on the one hand he was concerned with Indian philosophy, but on the other hand he struggled with everyday problems.

Source History: www.wbwd.nl

MURAL IS AT THE HEIGHT OF:

Entrance Hof van Adwaita, Assenstraat 11/25

Cooperation partners:

- Residents Court of Adwaita

- WE Deventer

- Living Above Shops

- Mano Scherpbier

- Egbert.EGD

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