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Unfortunately for the residents, a small park with trees had to make way for the construction of the new police station in the Laakhaven area. In her design, artist Erna Nijman also refers to this loss. The bronze spine with its shell-shaped seats at the bottom is reminiscent of a tree with a bench at the bottom of its trunk. The spine itself serves as a metaphor for the administration of justice, of which the police are one of the foundations, in our society. There is, however, another possible association. Namely with the slaughterhouse that once stood here, where many animals were boned.

The backbone was one of Nijman's first works for the public space. Before that, she mainly made installations and did performances for a select art audience. In both cases, she responded to the context: the physical space, the light, the sound and especially invisible aspects such as history, feelings and associations. The works were not unambiguous, rather fairytale-like and made with natural materials such as earth and thin paper, often in combination with photographs. In her studio Finisterre, she invited artists to make work. Nijman would then respond to their images and thoughts. It was the source of mutual inspiration and installations.

In a way, her work in public space is not much different. For her work, Nijman immerses herself in the history, the sociological circumstances and the meaning of the location. She adjusts her work accordingly. In this case, the result is an accessible sculpture that offers police and residents space for associations, but also literally offers space for reflection and a good conversation.