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Torsion' means rotation. And however subtle it may be, standing behind Ger Zijlstra's sculpture 'Torsion' in the Westbroek Park, a slight rotation is indeed visible. A form that resembles the back of a human figure turns to the left, away from an enormous hip and buttock area. The sensual curves and curves of the rudimentary forms make it clear that the full womb belongs to a woman. But it is difficult to see exactly how her body is composed. Zijlstra made a torso. Moreover, he placed the lower body not under, but behind the upper body. This makes it seem as if the woman is raising herself from a lying position. On the front of the bronze from 1974, the upper body can be distinguished; a body with only the beginnings of the arms and neck, like a tree with three truncated branches.

The expressive design with the large volumes was characteristic of Zijlstra's art at the time. He was influenced by Henry Moore (1898-1986). This famous English sculptor made sculptures based on forms from nature, such as bones, landscapes and the female body. Zijlstra's interest in Moore's work is evident from the way in which he alternates round and convex forms and from the way in which he allows forms to flow into one another. And just as with Moore, Zijlstra's sculptures evoke different associations. His 1975 sculpture 'Purple Snail' in Osdorp, in which Zijlstra depicts the unity of man, animal and earth, is strongly reminiscent of an enormous mammoth bone.

In the course of time, Zijlstra found new sources of inspiration. Archaeology, artefacts and places from his memories became important starting points, making his art more anecdotal. Moreover, he started working with materials such as paper and stone. He sometimes combines stone with Corten steel. He also makes wooden sculptures which he casts in bronze. His imagery has become tighter and more subdued, beyond the voluptuous generosity of the 1970s.