Artwork Data
Title
Vissersnamenmonument
Artist
Year
2013
Material
Graniet, ongezoet
Dimensions
Lengte 25 m
Artwork Location
Address
Boulevard, Den Haag
City district
Scheveningen
GPS data
52.107698479777, 4.2712409031494 View on map
Artwork Description
Text
Bert van der Toorn has recorded 1366 drowned fishermen from Scheveningen since he started his research in 2005. Of these 'survivors' he has been able to recover name and age. They are all mentioned on the monument to the names of fishermen that Scheveningen has had since 2013.
Van der Toorn is the driving force behind this monument. While fishermen who remained at sea in fishing villages such as Urk and Katwijk are honoured by name, in Scheveningen there are only two general fishermen's monuments: the Fisherman's Wife on the dune along Keizerstraat and the Fishermen's Monument near the Scheveningen Woods. While Scheveningen has the most fishermen who stayed at sea (1366, Katwijk 275 and Urk 368). To make the names that everyone carries in their hearts visible and tangible, a foundation was established in 2005 with the aim of erecting a monument with names.
The foundation VissersNamenMonument commissioned thorough research and then commissioned sculptor and graphic designer Marcel van Zijp to design a monument. In addition, a website with background information was built. Van Zijp devised a monument consisting of 21 slabs of black granite with the names of all the (young) men who have been at sea since 1813. He placed the Scheveningen coat of arms at the end and had the text engraved across all the names:
"Not returned from sea - name for name engraved in stone"
During the renovation of the boulevard, the 25-metre-long Fishermen's Name Monument was incorporated into the boulevard wall as a sleek, black strip. The Fisherman's Wife rises above the impressive number of names. As if she is taking care of the dead. There is also room for new names. In case more information comes to light during further research. There is also room for future dead. Because even though the sea gives a lot, it also takes away from time to time.