Geen Leven Zonder Doel
by Benjamin Ikoma
When asking artist Benjamin Ikoma to come silk screen at Doel Festival, he quite soon came up with the quote “Geen leven zonder Doel”, translated to “No life without Doel” or “No life without purpose”, as doel in Flemish also means purpose.
Ikoma is also one part of Coming Soon space, the group who ran the free haven Onder Stroom before that, in Antwerp. To promote the festival, we decided to host a get together at their space, aptly named Doel Festival is Coming Soon, where you would be able to get your ‘Geen Leven Zonder Doel’ graphic already printed to your garments for free and cash performances by locals waltur, ilias, Bayny and Rehash Neu Klang.
At Doel Festival, the graphic then returned. Visitors were able to visit the silk screen station at our market and get another chance at having their clothes printed for free.
The graphic became a striking image, reflecting on Doel’s past, with the village almost being demolished due to harbour expansions, yet thanks to the efforts of action groups, current and past inhabitants, it survived. During the festival, a commemorative steel plaque suddenly appeared on one of Doel’s facades.
A post scriptum slogan that rings into the future.
No life without purpose. Geen leven zonder Doel.
