Artist duo Margit Lukács and Persijn Broersen will present a new work, Het Hof van de Leeuw (The Court of the Lion), in which the Binnenhof forms the backdrop for a fabulous, animated film. The artist duo took the discovery of lion bones in the Buitenhof as a starting point for this assignment for the Binnenhof Renovation Art Parade. In a piece specially composed by Bram Kortekaas we see a lion and a group of white ravens singing about the newly reclaimed land and a whale as a prophet reciting the foundations of democracy.

The Court of the Lion

The 3D animation film is constructed in the characteristic style of Lukács & Broersen.  Fragments of the Binnenhof under renovation form the backdrop to a virtual reality that simulates an overwhelming environment with moving images and sound. With theatrical camera movements, the viewer is led into a richly overgrown and fertile Binnenhof, including a reference to the Pleasure Garden of Prince Maurits. It symbolized the prosperity of the Netherlands blessed by God. Lukács & Broersen let this garden be discovered by a lion who is waging an inner battle as to whether all the land should be cultivated or whether this should be done in moderation. The seductive and dreamed abundance is violently interrupted by the rising water, where the whale seems to offer a way out.

Goethe’s Faust and Joh. de Witt

The Court of the Lion is a fable with many historical references. Such as an image of the coat of arms of Holland in which a climbing lion guards an enclosed garden. For the contemporary music and libretto, Lukács & Broersen, together with Kortekaas, adapted the vision of redemption from Goethe’s Faust. In this vision of reclaiming land from the sea, Faust dreams of true freedom in the eternal battle against water. The artists for the libretto were also inspired by statements made by the stadholder-less Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt in 1650. He believed that a true republic is not guided by the whims of a single individual but is founded on ‘the foundations of immortal assemblies and colleges’ and on the principles of freedom and equality as a basic tenet of democracy.

Lukács: “For us, nature is not a passive background, but a mirror of human desires, beliefs and ideologies. Landscapes, apparently objective representations of reality, are in reality constructed stories that reflect social and political forces. The word ‘landscape’ itself carries the notion of creation – a ‘shelf’ or creation by human hands. What specifically attracted us to this assignment is the opportunity to reinterpret the Binnenhof as a landscape of power, politics and symbolism.”

Broersen: “As artists, we have the freedom to run away with fiction, where politicians cannot afford to do so.”

Art Parade Binnenhof Renovation, edition 03

This new work is part of the Kunstparade Binnenhof Renovation, a public program in the space around the Binnenhof. Margit Lukács & Persijn Broersen have been invited to this third edition by the Ministry of General Affairs. The theme given to them was nature in relation to the Binnenhof.

The Kunstparade Binnenhof Renovation is a program of the Atelier Rijksbouwmeester, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Council of State, the Ministry of General Affairs and the municipality of The Hague. Various artists receive a commission to create new work during the renovation of the Binnenhof. Tirzo Martha and Aukje Dekker previously received an assignment. A new music theater performance by Arlon Luijten is expected in July 2025.

Film screening at the Hofvijver

The Court of the Lion will be visible for the first time on March 14 and 15, 2025 on a large LED screen on the Schelpenpad at the Hofvijver. Visitors can receive more information about the various references included in this film.

The film lasts approximately 15 minutes and is shown continuously from 12:00 – 20:00.

Film screening in the Binnenhof Renovation Information Center

Friday 28 and Saturday 29 March 2025, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Sunday, March 30, 2025, 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Place 22,  The Hague

Entrance free