Artwork Data
Artwork Location
Address
Warmoerzierstraat, Den Haag
City district
Centrum
GPS data
52.074145106871, 4.3007115745522 View on map
Artwork Description
Text
One of the many articles written about Jan Snoeck's work over the years is headed 'Jan Snoeck et son théatre' (Jan Snoeck and his theatre). The article appeared on the occasion of an exhibition of the artist's work in France. The title hits the nail on the head, because what the sculptor actually does is repeatedly depict scenes from a theatre play. For him, life is a stage.
In 1979, Snoeck completed one of his key works: three sculptures over 3.5 metres high were placed at Westeinde Hospital that year. Although they are highly abstracted forms, it is not difficult to recognise three seated human figures. They are stylised in a way that has become the Hague artist's trademark.
It is clear that the ceramic sculptures were made when Snoeck's career and development were already far advanced. His stylings have become increasingly daring over the years. Yet it is not difficult to recognise a scene from a play in the group of sculptures. The 'actions' are made up by the artist himself and are based on recognisable situations from everyday life. There are no texts: the sculpture group makes words superfluous.
Similar sculptures are popping up in various places in The Hague, revealing the different stages in Snoeck's work. The main point is that the sculptor repeatedly manifests himself as a director who skilfully manipulates the staging and provides each sculpture with its own recognisable visual language and compelling handwriting. Within this, the rudimentary worm shape that is used each time refers to the essence of man.