‘Happenings' founder Grootveld dies

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Puffin13
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‘Happenings’ founder Grootveld dies

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‘Happenings’ founder Grootveld dies
26 February 2009

Robert Jasper Grootveld, one of the most emblematic figures of the 60s provo (provocation) movement, has died in a nursing home at the age of 76.

Grootveld was famous for the ‘happenings’ he organised on the Spui (photo), then Amsterdam’s ‘magic centre’. The anti-smoking guru would dance around
in a cloud of his own cigarette smoke chanting ugh, ugh, ugh - which became one of his mantras.

Grootveld started out as a window cleaner, then turned to journalism and finally found his feet as an artist in the creative atmosphere of the 1960s.
He came up with the famous white bicycle plan which has since been adopted by many cities around the world.

His lifelong devotion to the figure of Sinterklaas may go some way towards explaining his childlike pleasure in inventing such institutions as the
Exotic Kitch Museum and the Expertological Laboratory, with fellow-artists and poets. In 2000, he made a present of the floating gardens he created to the city of Amsterdam.

‘He totally changed the Amsterdam street scene,’ friend and filmmaker Herbert Curiel told ANP.

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Puffin13
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Sixties icon Robert Jasper Grootveld gets full Amsterdam

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Sixties icon Robert Jasper Grootveld gets full Amsterdam style funeral tour
March 04 2009

The famous 60's icon Robert Jasper Grootveld will get a grand tour on the river Amstel to his last resting place.

Robert Jasper Grootveld was one of the foremen of the 'Provo movement' in the late 60's, in Amsterdam.

He died on February 26, at the age of 76.

One of the things he was famous for was the 'happenings' he organized around statue 'het Lieverdje' at Spui, in the centre of Amsterdam. The happenings almost invariably ended in a fight with the police.

As Grootveld was also an instigator of the building of floats, he will be transported on a float to the cemetery Zorgvlied, which is located along the river Amstel.
The 'happening' will take place on Saturday, March 7.

As he died in poverty, it is yet unclear whether he will get his own grave, or buried together with others in a 'poor man's grave', paid for by the City of Amsterdam. An effort has been set up by his biographer to collect money for a proper grave.

The event on Saturday, March 7:

• 11.00am: Gathering at statue 'het Lieverdje', where artists will perform. A banner will be unveiled about Grootveld.
• 11.45am: Start of the funerary service in the komst in Singel Church (very close to Spui), at Singel 452.
• 1.30pm: End of service. The body of Grootveld will be placed on a float, in front of the church.
• 2pm: The floats leave for the tour to Zorgvlied. Everyone is invited to join with a boat, or cycle along the Amstel.
• 4pm: Arrival at Zorgvlied, with performances by a group of artists, followed by the funeral.
• 4.30pm: End of funeral.

Here is a map of the locations mentioned above.

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