Watou

Watou is a village in the Belgian province of West Flanders and a borough of the city of Poperinge. The village has just under 1900 inhabitants and is located near the border with France. The “Poeziezomer Watou” (Poetry-summer Watou)  was artistically organized for 28 years (from 1980 to 2008) by Gwy Mandelinck - himself a poet - and his wife Agnes Hondekyn. Over the course of two summer months, it formed a unique dialogue between international visual art and poetry. In 2022 the Kunstenzomer, as it is now called, will enter its 41st. year with mainly site-specific works.

Like many villages in Europe, more and more shops, café’s, schools and other facilities, have disappeared over the years. Where it used to have dozens of cafes and shops, you can now count it on two hands.

Voerman's project is also partly related to this fact.

The exchange-rate of the currency for Watou, is related to the amount of facilities and own inhabitants within the village. If the number of facilities decreases, the exchange-value also decreases.

Watou's banknotes are designed by artist Pol Bonduelle, born and raised in Watou.

Voerman is building his art installation / border exchange office next to “Café Á la Frontière Belge”, which is almost right on the border between Belgium and France.