Artwork Data

Title

Beeld voor Keppler

Artist

Rick Koren

Year

1990

Material

ijzer / messing / marmer / steenachtig

Artwork Location

Address

Kepplerplein, Den Haag

City district

Segbroek

GPS data

52.077043585449, 4.2855629379615 View on map

Artwork Description

Text

In his 'Sculpture for Keppler', which was placed on Kepplerplein in 1990, the artist Rick Koren has done everything possible to do justice to the special qualities of the German astronomer Johannes Keppler (1571-1630), after whom the square was named.

Keppler became known through the discovery of the laws named after him. He studied theology and immersed himself in the work of Copernicus. This made him a convinced adherent of the heliocentric system, in which the sun is seen as the centre. Later, Keppler became a teacher of mathematics. He was also in charge of compiling the annual calendar in which astrological predictions were made. For his monument, Koren took Keppler's ideas as a starting point. He designed a column of light placed on a circular plateau. Two half-spheres lie along the edge of that circle. Two light strips in the pavement run from the light column to the hemispheres. In this way, Koren visualised the theories of Copernicus and Keppler about the heliocentric system.

Koren studied at the Academie voor Beeldende Vorming in Amersfoort. In 'Beeld voor Keppler', he combines his fascination for the universe with his preference for unusual combinations of different materials. The artist loves hidden meanings and likes to be surprised by unexpected discoveries. He tries to stimulate the viewer with his imaginative and poetic treatments and interventions. Simple everyday materials such as a bar of soap, metal chains or nitrous oxide cartridges regularly form the starting point for his sculptures.

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