Tranen van Breda (Tears of Breda)
Tranen van Breda (Tears of Breda) is the name of the memorial artwork that artists Margit Lukács & Persijn Broersen are designing for the Grote Kerk Breda. It is inspired by the mesmerising organic patterns of magnified tears. Each tear is unique and tells a personal story. When you magnify tears, they all have their own structure. For instance, a tear of sadness looks different from a tear of joy. These patterns of tears form the basis for the new memorial artwork in the Grote Kerk Breda.
For centuries, the Grote Kerk Breda has been a silent witness to Breda's history and intertwined with the stories of its inhabitants, both in times of joy and sorrow. It is a place where everyone is welcome to come together and share important moments in life. A memorial artwork will be erected in this iconic monument this year, bringing together the emotions and stories of Breda residents. The immediate reason for this is the fact that it has been five years since the temporary COVID-19 memorial was erected, making it clear that there is a great need to commemorate relatives in the Grote Kerk Breda.
Anyone who feels connected to the city and the church as well as anyone who has placed a portrait on the temporary memorial over the past five years is invited to submit a tear of joy or sorrow on Sunday, 16 March ‘25.
Foto: Roger de Waal
PLACE OF SOLACE
Right at the start of the COVID-19 crisis, it becomes clear once again how the Grote Kerk Breda is a place of solace. Relatives of victims visit the church to commemorate their loved ones. A temporary monument where deceased are commemorated with portraits and candles is erected - a place to reflect on loss. What began as a memorial for Corona victims has now grown into a much-visited monument for anyone who has lost a loved one.
5 YEARS
On 15 March ‘20, the first COVID-19 measures were announced in the Netherlands. That moment is now almost five years ago, on 15 March ‘25, and every day the Grote Kerk Breda still sees the comfort and support the monument offers to bereaved families. The growing number of photographs and candles on the temporary monument shows that there is a great need to commemorate and that there may be a permanent place for this in the Grote Kerk Breda.
The artwork Tranen van Breda (Tears of Breda), designed by the artist duo Margit Lukács (Breda) and Persijn Broersen (Delft), will replace the temporary monument from mid-September 2025. This new work of art offers everyone the opportunity to remember a loved one by lighting a candle and forms a beacon of comfort for Breda residents and for all visitors. In this way, the Grote Kerk Breda will remain a place of connection and remembrance, both for the city and its residents.
TRANEN VAN BREDA (Tears of Breda)
The new artwork, Tranen van Breda (Tears of Breda), draws inspiration from the symbolism of tears. Tears represent strong emotions such as sadness and joy. Every tear has a unique structure; every person's tear is unique and a tear of sadness also looks different from a tear of joy. They mark moments that are important in life.
Microscopically, tears resemble botanical forms, creating an association with nature and the eternal cycle of life and death. In addition, the natural shape associates with paintings in the church, such as ceiling paintings depicting paradise gardens.
From Breda people for Breda people
Lukács and Broersen's artwork will capture the tears of Breda citizens and use them as the basis for the new work. Everyone who feels connected to the city and the church as well as everyone who has placed a portrait on the temporary memorial over the past five years is invited to submit a tear of joy or sorrow on Sunday 16 March ‘25.
A selection of the donated tears will eventually be incorporated into the work, which will spread like a network through a niche of the church. Thus, the niche will be filled with the sorrow and joy of Breda's residents and the stories of the city and its inhabitants will be immortalised three-dimensionally in the church.
Tribute
This work of art is more than just a work of art. It fits the new vision of the Grote Kerk Breda in which the church is seen not only as a historical monument, but also as a place that plays an active role at the heart of today's and tomorrow's society. The artwork connects past, present and future in a way that emphasises the value of being together and shared experiences.
Tranen van Breda (Tears of Breda) is not only a physical work of art, but also a symbol of the city's history and connectedness. It is a tribute to the people of Breda; to their emotions, their stories and their undeniable bond with the Grote Kerk Breda - a bond immortalised in stone for centuries.
About the artists
Margit Lukács and Persijn Broersen work at the intersection of technology, media and art. They have a deep interest in the changing way stories are told in a world full of digital communication. The artist duo investigates the influence of technology on our perception of history and political landscapes, among other things.
Their work is a reflection of the zeitgeist, in which technology is fundamentally changing the way we experience and understand the world. Such is the case with Tranen van Breda (Tears of Breda), for which tears are magnified under a microscope before being scanned and converted into a three-dimensional form in a permanent material.
Lukács and Broersen's oeuvre consists of layered projections, digital animations and spatial installations and has been exhibited worldwide, including at the Sydney Biennale (Australia), Rencontres Arles (FR), Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (NL), Centre Pompidou Paris (FR), Shanghai World Expo (CN), Kröller-Müller Museum (NL), BredaPhoto Festival (NL) and Stedelijk Museum Breda (NL).
Tears of Breda is realised as part of the House of Stories Master Plan and is made possible in part by:
