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On the square of the Archipel school in the Indian neighbourhood, a funny little figure sits with his back leaning against the wall. His long, thin legs stretched out in front of him. The colourful little fellow seems to be completely at ease waiting for children to come and play with him. This 'Little Guy' was made by sculptor/ceramist JanJaap Horstink.
Horstink always makes human figures in colourful ceramics. Until 1980 he limited himself almost entirely to making reliefs, but later he also made three-dimensional sculptures. His figures, which incidentally strongly resemble cartoon characters, are usually created in series. One gives rise to the next. In this way, he creates an entire people, whose individuals all have a sense of humour.
Horstink once said in an interview about his way of working: 'I draw with clay. It is a very direct way of dealing with the material. It is as if you stop a cartoon on one single image'. This certainly also applies to 'Ventje'.

Incidentally, on the other side of the schoolyard, opposite 'Little Guy', there is another such colourful ceramic sculpture. This time it is the 'Baseball Catcher' by Berry Holslag.