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PRESENT. Although it sounds rather solemn, you regularly come across the word 'today' in the street scene. Today completely empty or today closed. But what if that word is in a city park? And what if it is written in letters more than a man's height, which look like sculptures and stand like a house?

You might not think it is there, but in the middle of Spoorwijk is a beautiful, tranquil park. It has an evocative name: Het Hof van Heden. As in many old districts of The Hague, old houses had to make way for new ones in Spoorwijk. New Spoorwijk does not only include new houses, but also more greenery. In this district park, local residents can read a newspaper or play with their children.

The five large letters of HEDEN have been set up right across the park. Some of these brass letters are on the pavement, while others are literally standing with their feet in the water of the park pond. HEDEN is a work of art by Marc Ruygrok. This artist also created the 'AND/OF' pedestal sculpture that is part of The Sculpture Gallery in the centre.

Ruygrok uses letters and signs in almost all of his sculptures, photographs and drawings. He has been doing so since the early 1980s. At that time, he also caused a national furore. Apart from language, architecture is an important source of inspiration for Ruygrok. His sculptures even have the same physical presence as architecture. With his sculptures, Ruygrok wants to depict human thought and action, including doubts and dilemmas. That is why he regularly chooses words that question the here and now. In this way, he calls time and place into question. You immediately think today? Here? Now? It causes you to stand still. This also happens with HEDEN.