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Who am I that I get to do this?

Queen Juliana 1990-2004

How do you create a memorial to a queen who actually wanted to be as ordinary as the people? That was the big question for art institution Stroom The Hague and the advisory committee that guided the creation of a monument to Queen Juliana (April 30, 1990 - March 20, 2004). A year after her death, the Hague City Council decided on a statue or monument in honor of this monarch. The initiator was city council member Adri Kaland (CDA).

The committee did not want to erect a statue as had been done in the past. They thought more of a statue that would bring out the human side of Juliana. A work of art that would keep the memory of this "ordinary" queen alive. Out of four sketch proposals, Ingrid Mol's was chosen. Her design is based on black-and-white photographs of working visits Juliana made in the 1960s. On an oval pedestal, Juliana stands between two men and a woman listening intently. All are more than life-size.

With this memorial, the artist wishes to portray Queen Juliana as a socially engaged monarch, queen against her will, mother of the people. Quite different from the martial equestrian statues of William of Orange (Noordeinde) and William II (Hofvijver) or the regal Emma (Jozef Israëlplein) In this way, each era shapes the image we have of a monarch in its own way.

Sculptor Ingrid Mol is no stranger to the Hague circuit. She had previously realized sculptures in the city such as over 90 ceramic bird heads by De Vogelclub (2005-2008) on houses in Vinex district Ypenburg and Binnenstadgoden (2014) as part of De Beeldengalerij in the city center. Unlike the rest of Mol's oeuvre, she executed this sculpture group in light shades of gray. As in the black-and-white photographs.

With Mol, her colorful figures usually play a role in a story that often also appears in book form to accompany the project. Such is the case with the sculpture group. Het Monument is an adventure about Queen Juliana and the search for the ultimate memorial. Drawings are by The Hague's first city artist Babette Wagenvoort and the book design is by Studio Renate Boere.