Sitting lumps

Take a look

In the 1970s the narrowing of the gap between art and the public was among artist René de Boer’s main themes. This encouraged him to make appliances of his sculptures instead of merely objects to look at, and these sitting lumps are an example of this. Below the sculpture are swivel casters and nylon slide plates that allow the work to be moved, and because the sculpture hinges in the centre its shape can change. The work of art is therefore also an object to look at, lie on and play with. In 1975 Zitknobbels (Sitting Lumps) was at the Grote Markt for a month after which the municipality of purchased it and placed it in the Paddepoel shopping centre. In the late 1990s the sculpture was moved to the Selwerd shopping centre, and since 2011, the bronze bench is located on the Beren shopping square.