Artwork Data

Title

Object

Artist

Peter ten Hoorn

Year

1978

Material

ijzer

Dimensions

300 cm

Artwork Location

Address

Dedemsvaartweg, Den Haag

City district

Escamp

GPS data

52.053559383906, 4.2572795173828 View on map

Artwork Description

Text

Initially, the artistic career of Peter ten Hoorn did not seem to lead directly to sculpture. He studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and taught at the Minerva Academy in Groningen. In his early years, he manifested himself as a graphic designer. Only later did he shift his focus to other artistic disciplines. For a number of years, he was also a member of the artists' collective GROEP.

Ten Hoorn's 'Object' is a typical image of the seventies. The eye-catcher contrasts with the surroundings. And that is also the intention. Abstract art from the seventies makes no effort to blend into nature or conform to the built environment, but rather to stand out. Seen from this perspective, it is not surprising that Ten Hoorn has given the steel object a monochrome red colour coating. The abstract language of form is also in keeping with the trends in sculpture at the time. That Ten Hoorn coloured his sculpture fire red is logical, since it was intended for the lawn near the fire station. Originally the station at Boekweitkamp in Mariahoeve, later at the station at Dedemsvaart in Escamp.

Although the form as a starting point is emphatically predominant, there is still room for associations. The sculpture consists of a stack of rings that appear to be top-heavy and therefore tilt backwards. The lower rings are largely closed, but towards the top, the circular forms are increasingly open. Ten Hoorn's stationary sculpture suggests a double movement. That movement can have both a natural and a mechanical origin, for example the opening of a mechanical spring or spiral. But it can also be the budding of a flower bud or the growth process of a plant. The artist leaves the viewer in the dark about this.

Close