The Making Of Make Love Not War | 2019-2021

The site-specific artwork ‘Make Love Not War’ by Martijn Sandberg, forms part of the transformation of the former Tapijn Barracks (Tapijnkazerne), Maastricht.
The barrack terrain was laid out between 1916 and 1919 and will now receive a new function as an urban park containing University of Maastricht buildings.
The artwork figuration is incorporated in the paving of the main path, using bricks. It lies in the park-like surroundings of the former military terrain.

Visitors, students and residents of the city walk in Tapijn’s rustic public park. They parade, where soldiers used to march, over the main path extending in a straight line past the principal building and the central assembly station of the barracks.

From different viewpoints a pattern of letters appears in the paving. Step by step a ‘score’ becomes visible under our feet, from far away and nearby.
A never-ending song resonates from the chalk white bricks, linking together the history, the present-day and the future of the spot.
A ‘canon’, a ‘refrain’ of each time is written in stone: ‘Make Love Not War, Make Love Not War, Make Love’.

Photos: ‘Make Love Not War’, work in progress (2020) and concept drawing (2019), site-specific artwork, main path (lxw) 238m x 2.75m.

Title: ‘Make Love Not War’, paving
Artist: Martijn Sandberg
Concept and figuration: 2019
Realisation and completion: 2020/2021
Project assistance art: Atelier Rinzema