Bik Van der Pol’s The Poem That Jumps the Fence

What if poems could literally jump fences? Here at Bik Van der Pol’s “The Poem That Jumps the Fence”, they kind of do. Bik Van der Pol’s “The Poem That Jumps the Fence” is a unique art piece located on Abu Dhabi’s public beach. This artwork isn’t a static object but a dynamic, ever-changing performance. It’s part of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennale. Every Sunday afternoon, the beach transforms into a canvas. A performer uses a long stick to inscribe a poem into the sand. The waves eventually wash the poem away, creating an ephemeral work of art. Bik Van der Pol’s “The Poem That Jumps the Fence” emphasizes the fleeting nature of poetry and the constant shifting of the sands. The poems themselves are created during workshops. Local poets and writers collaborate with participants to generate the text. This makes the artwork truly interactive and community-driven. The project also highlights the importance of sand, a resource often taken for granted. It is the third most used natural resource, after water and air. Sand is crucial to modern civilization yet rapidly depleting. It builds our houses and cities. It paves our roads and creates our beaches. It is even in our computers and smartphones. Bik Van der Pol’s “The Poem That Jumps the Fence” prompts us to consider the significance of this seemingly ordinary material. It asks us to think about our relationship with the natural world and the impact of our actions. The cyclical nature of the performance, the creation and erasure of the poems, mirrors the constant cycle of creation and destruction in nature. The performances are documented, creating a growing archive of ephemeral art. This archive ensures that even though the poems themselves are temporary, their impact and message endure.