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André van Lier has earned his spurs in The Hague. And he is proud of it. His sculptures can be found at various important locations. If you enter the city via Utrechtse Baan, you cannot miss his fiery red 'Roadline' from 1978. And if you turn right into the city along Zuidhollandlaan, you will inevitably pass the three circles pressed together in the sculpture 'Pressed Circles' from 1980.
His work has been called constructivist. Simple forms, such as the circle and the square, predominate in his oeuvre. Furthermore, Van Lier has a clear preference for pure materials such as steel and wood. Moreover, he is a versatile artist. Besides being a sculptor, he is also a graphic and industrial designer. In 1999, he designed a chair and a table for the famous Thonet company.
Beginning with the Russian constructivists and changing shape over the years, constructivism is an art movement that is still relevant today. A silent force in art', as Van Lier calls it. In 'Kiosk Magazine' from 1990, he goes on to say about Constructivism: "It is all about the pure form. There is no connotation, only the beauty of pure form'.
Van Lieber's explanation certainly applies to 'Pressed Circles' on the Dierentuin Bridge. The sculpture is open and transparent, simple in form and has a light metal colour. Initially the sculpture of polished and varnished stainless steel was to be placed on a flat black base. But Van Lier changed his mind and chose a simpler alternative: by raising the paving stones under the work of art, it was given a slightly higher position. This way, the sculpture is still clearly present in a sober way.