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This Is Special is a project that stimulates and exhibits the cultural talents of students in special education and raises money for charity at the same time. This Is Special 3.0 consisted of several actions and exhibitions throughout Zwolle.
One triptych was exhibited at the central library of Zwolle. A second at Deltion College Zwolle. Deltion even bought the artwork. All the other paintings were exhibited at the Ice Statue Festival Zwolle. At the festival students and teachers painted ‘live’, visitors could paint along for a donation. In total €1.367,46 was raised for charity.
De Ambelt is a school for special education, specialized in educating children with learning, developmental and/or psychiatrical disorders. “This description however doesn’t realy tribute to how proud students are to be in special education. And that’s unjust, just look at the talents”; says Boxem. Besides raising money for charity, This Is Special also pushes for changing the perception on special education by showing everyone how talented these students are and giving them the confidence they deserve.
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The cobra can be found in Boxem garden. The hight is about 300 cm.
Making of (2014-2015):
This Is Special is a project that stimulates and exhibits the cultural talents of students in special education and raises money for charity at the same time. In This Is Special 2.0 the students painted to raise money for Serious Request 2014, Hollands largest fundraiser.
Since 2011 the students of De Ambelt have been making a triptych a year (Ambelt paintings). The smallest measures four and a half by two meters. An exhibition was held at the Ice Statue Festival Zwolle. At the exhibition students and teacher Dennie Boxem painted ‘live’ on two portrets in the hyperrealistic style of Chuck Close. Visitors painted along for a donation. The fundraising resulted in €1.560,- for Serious Request and thirty thousand visitors of the Ice Statue Festival enjoyed the paintings of the students.
De Ambelt is a school for special education, specialized in educating children with learning, developmental and/or psychiatrical disorders. “This description however doesn’t realy tribute to how proud students are to be in special education. And that’s unjust, just look at the talents”; says Boxem. Besides raising money for charity, This Is Special also pushes for changing the perception on special education by showing everyone how talented these students are and giving them the confidence they deserve.
Like This Is Special on Facebook.
Gods of several religions playing the board game Risk.
Hallucinogenic devil face I, II & III show the three largest disasters caused by human hands: World War II, Hiroshima and 9-11. The different elements in the composition reveal a devil face.
This Is Special is a project that stimulates and exhibits the cultural talents of students in special education and raises money for charity at the same time. In 2013 This Is Special recorded a music album on which twenty students can be heard.
The album was a large succes. The Havo section of De Ambelt sold over 1700 copies and raised €10.040,-. All profits were donated to Serious Request, Hollands largest fundraiser. “Nowadays a lot of Dutch artists would be pretty jealous of that amount of money” responded 3fm DJ Paul Rabbering. Student Wytse Visser became Demo of the Day and his song ‘Dance to the stories of our life’ was played nationwide.
All music was recorded free of charge at the studios of Deltion College Zwolle by Henk Mekkring and his student Steven Kroon. Rapper Rico (Fakkebrigade, OpgeZwolle) and Rob Peters (Seven League Beats) contributed to a special rap song. The photography, artwork and design were done by Jamila Op de Kamp, Jeroen Keep, Riens Vellinga, Cristel Bredius and The Artist Jerry van der Bol. All contributed free of charge.
This Is Special is an initiative of Dennie Boxem, teacher at De Ambelt. De Ambelt is a school for special education, specialized in educating children with learning, developmental and/or psychiatrical disorders. “This description however doesn’t realy tribute to how proud students are to be in special education. And that’s unjust, just look at the talents”; says Boxem. Besides raising money for charity, This Is Special also pushes for changing the perception on special education by showing everyone how talented these students are and giving them the confidence they deserve.
Like This Is Special on facebook.
Links
Pics
Recording days at the studios of Deltion College Zwolle, all recordings done by Henk Mekkring and Steven Kroon:
Days of photo shooting, ‘chef-cd-booklet’: Jamila Op den Kamp, photography by Jeroen Keep:
CD presentation at Theater The Young Ones Zwolle. Photography by Tim Zuidberg:
Donating €10.040,- at the Glass House, Serious Request Leeuwarden:
In the papers:
Other pics:
This Is Special tracklist:
1. Dance to the stories of our life
Song, vocals & guitar by Wytse Visser
2. Paparazzi – Lady Gaga cover
Carlyn Westerink, Dennie Boxem & Mathijs Slagter vocals, Vincent van Zwieten guitar, Esther van der Kamp keys, Melvin Hersevoort bass, Niels Beens drums.
3. Bring me to life – Evanescence cover
Carlyn Westerink & Dennie Boxem vocals, Olivier Eijpe keys, Melvin Hersevoort bass, Dominic Pongers drums.
4. Let me entertain you – Robbie Williams cover
Thomas Meijboom vocals & guitar, Timon Oldegberts woodblock, Koen Rouwenhorst solo guitar.
5. House of the rising sun – Animals cover
Danielle Wories vocals, Judith Steenbergen violin, Esther van der Kamp keys, Marc Jan Mijnheer guitar, Jens van Baaren solo guitar.
6. Als ik val
Pieter Wattel, Harm van der Vegt, Danny Snoek & Rico rap, Wytse Visser vocals, Jelmer Nieuwendijk & Rob Peters beats.
7. Who cares – Anouk cover
Carlyn Westerink vocals, Olivier Eijpe & Vincent van Zwieten guitars, Melvin Hersevoort bass, Dominic Pongers drums.
8. Don’t you forget about me
Song, vocals & guitar by Wytse Visser
9. Halleluja – Leonard Cohen cover
Vocals & guitar by Wytse Visser
10. Watch what you’re doing
Song, vocals & guitar by Wytse Visser
Martijn van Goor and the Dennie Boxem began this painting early 2008. The idea rose because of the desire to imitate a great Renaissance master at least once in their lives. They used the composition of Rafeals School of Athens (1509-10). Boxem finished the painting in 2013.
Male white world leaders is about the American presidential elections of 2008: the first election that could result in a female or black president. Up to that point, all western world leaders had been white men.
Presidential candidates were Hillary Clinton and Barack O’bama, pictured arm in arm in the center. In front of them are former president George Bush and fellow candidate John McCain. The shapes around them show the faces of famous leaders from the past and present. With 365 to 173 electoral votes O’bama would end up winning the election of McCain, with whom he became America’s 44th and 1st black president.
Making of 2012, 2013 & 2014:
Some good old action in “Girl on girl friction”. In this series a fine battle for fame is on.
In the first one Dutch soccer wives Sylvie Meis (ex-wife to Rafael van der Vaart) and Yolanthe Cabau van Kasbergen (wife to Wesley Sneijder) are hitting it off. In the second on Miley Cyrus and Nicki Minaj are liking each other pretty allright.
Making of mosaic Cobra, 170x300cm, 2014 till…:
Making of wall painting, 300x200cm, summer of 2012:
In 2011 Dennie Boxem and Jamila Op den Kamp, teachers at De Ambelt, organized a design competition for their students. The best designs would be a part in a triptych to decorate the staff room. The students have been making a painting every school year ever since.
De Ambelt is a school for special education, specialized in educating children with learning, developmental and/or psychiatrical disorders.
Pics
Paintings:
Making of 2014-2015 (400x220cm):
Making of 2013-2014 (790x220cm):
Making of 2012-2013 (450x200cm):
Making of 2011-2012 (450x200cm):
“… The Mother Lovers released their debut album ‘From The Thumb’ on Mother’s Day 2010. The album contains a mixture of reggae, rock, funk, pop and power ballads. … The Mother Lovers are very proud of the fact that four-time K-1 World Grand Prix champion Semmy Schilt has a lead role in their debut music video ‘Sweet Madness’. Well done, cause the video and therefore the band got some fine international media coverage!”
(Source: festival.eurosonic-noorderslag.nl)
In the music video, the band steals the champion belt. After a ‘David versus Goliath’ kinda battle, Schilt takes back what is his (To watch the scene, click here!). To promote the video, the PR of the star athlete alerted the media that the champion belt was stolen. It turned out to be a successful publicity stunt, because the news was picked up widely. Semmy Schilt: “When I became world champion, I didn’t have this much media coverage.”
The Mother Lovers and Semmy Schilt unraveled the hoax live at Giel Beelen, a Dutch radio DJ:
Some highlights.
In 2010 The Mother Lovers won ‘De Drentse Popprijs’ (Best band of the province). They released their album on Mother’s Day and opened for bands as Di-rect, Waylon en Rigby in their album release tour.
In 2011 they played in De Melkweg Amsterdam (SENA POPnl awards) and at the Eurosonic Noorderslag Festival Groningen.
The Mother Lovers are: Dennie Boxem (vocals), Olaf de Groote (guitar), Marcel Hoving (bas), Maikel Tanger (drums).
Music Video’s:
Pics:
Studies 2007 (March):
Studies 2007 (August):
Studies 2010:
Studies 2011:
Infernorama ‘A symphony for the heartless’ (2005) was the third rockopera composed by Manny van Oosten. The first two were Schooldays (1989) and Out Of Control (1992). Van Oosten also was the guitarist and composer in the bands Black Out, (Evil Game, 1984) and To Elysium (Dearest Ville, 2002 and Nightmare’s Nest, 2004). In 2010 Manny was diagnosed with ALS. He passed away the 25th of february 2011. Manny van Oosten was 55 years old.
Line-up Infernorama:
Manny van Oosten – guitar
Eline Ottens – keyboards
Ivo Hilgenkamp, The Monolith-deathcult – solo guitar
Sjoerd Visch, The Monolith-deathcult – drums
Gert-Jan Kok – bass
Vocalists:
Charlotte Wessels, Delain
Mark Jansen, Epica
Marco van der Velde, The Wounded
Edwin Kelder
Dennie Boxem
Margerita Holguin
Rein Doze
Robert Busscher
Marleen Santen
Guest-appearances:
Martijn Westerholt, Delain – keyboards
Eduard Dresscher – piano
Robert Schotman – rhythm guitar
