Word of welcome by Jan van Zanen at the conclusion of the Picaflores Exhibition, City Hall Atrium, 16 August 2022

Dear Excellencies, ambassadors,

Everyone from Picaflores, visitors and guests,

With this amazing exhibition under UV light, the Atrium has again demonstrated its importance as a unique exhibition space for the city of The Hague. As Mayor of this city I am proud of that and I would like to congratulate everybody that was involved in preparing this exhibition.

The Hague Picaflores organization is dedicated to sustainable living and conservation of the fragile nature of the Amazon region. Picaflores is closely allied with the people, culture and nature of Peru. Nevertheless – with the agreement of the artists – a project focusing on the endangered savanna of Cerrado in Brazil was chosen. It underlines the Latin-American bond with this region which extends beyond national borders (and that is why all these ambassadors gathered here).

This Picaflores exhibition is the eighteenth and largest since it began in 2018. The people of The Hague and visitors to our city have been able to see the work of 18 different artists. Painters who realistically portray the nature of the rainforest, often drawn from their own experience. As well as artists who combine nature with a world of symbolism that encompasses nature and the cosmos.

On behalf of the city of The Hague, I would like to thank the Picaflores organization for this introduction to the nature and art of the Latin-American rainforest. My thanks also to Atrium City Hall for bringing The Hague’s residents and visitors together while introducing them to unfamiliar worlds.