The Elephant

The Jewish Monument that commemorates the over 3,000 Jewish Groningen residents who were killed during World War II is located by the Hereweg and on the outskirts of the Sterrebos park. Eduard Waskowsky’s work of art was never completed: he died before he could finish the hand on the seventh pedestal, leaving the last pedestal empty. Each hand shows its very own emotion: the first is a clenched fist that expresses anger, while the second stretches upward in faith. The candlestick-shaped opening in the palm of the hand represents the menorah, the seven-armed candlestick that is a symbol of the Jewish people. The three hands standing express despair while the two lying hands symbolise sadness and resignation. The irregular wall of concrete blocks in the background refers to Judaism eroded by Nazi terror.

In 1990 the city of Groningen celebrated its 950 th anniversary and a contemporary city gate was placed at each main entrance road of the city to mark this. Architect Daniel Libeskind developed these city gates. The S02 city marking represents an open book and was created by artist Akira Asada. One page was made from glass and metal, and the other from stone with the text ‘onvoltooid toekomstige tijd’ (simple future tense). The idea was for monitors to project news on the work of art 24/7, but unfortunately technical progress was not ready for this at the time.

Three small living rooms – with lamps, a sofa, a table and even slippers – have been constructed by the water in a grass strip at the Boerhavelaan. They were designed by artist Lena van der Wal, who was looking to create domestic meeting places where local residents can go and visit each other in the street. Van der Wal was commissioned for this work by Groningen housing corporations De Huismeesters and Nijestee that wanted to do something back for the residents of the south-western quadrant in the Corpus den Hoorn neighbourhood to compensate for the inconvenience during a major district renewal.

In 1990 the city of Groningen celebrated its 950 th anniversary and a contemporary city gate was placed at each main entrance road of the city to mark this. Architect Daniel Libeskind developed these city gates. By the entrance road from the south is an electricity pole with seven metal flames representing the cycle of the week. One flame is lighted on the first day of the week, after which another is lighted every day. In the mornings and evenings, the number 10.40 is illuminated at twenty to eleven, referring to the first time the city of Groningen was mentioned in a deed.

Groningen has its very own holiday: Bommen Berend (Bombing Berend). This day is all about commemorating the battle of Groningen in 1672 when commander-in-chief Carl von Rabenhaupt defended the city against the invasion of the bishop of Münster (Bombing Berend). Over 20,000 of his soldiers besieged the city from the south, in the area where currently the Rabenhauptstraat and the Kempkensberg are located. The invasion lasted for weeks and cost the lives of about 4,600 soldiers from the Münster-Cologne army and about 100 residents. Groningen was liberated on 28 August, and Bommen Berend is still celebrated every year on this date. The green copper ball in this monument symbolises a cannonball and the rusty surface of the tablet refers to the passing of time. The brass letters read the following: ‘Groningen Constant, Behoudt van ’t Landt’ (Groningen perseverant, retaining of the land). This sentence was on one of the emergency coins that were minted during the siege of Groningen. The division in the tablet symbolises the city and its environs. Large parts of the Ommelanden – the Groningen countryside – were flooded to defend the city.

The footpath across the dyke by the Paterswoldseweg ends at a ‘look-out’, which provides hikers with a magnificent view of the Piccardthofplas lake. The ‘look-out’ consists of a big weathering steel ring. Nine plane-trees were planted within the ring, which will eventually provide the work of art with a shady green roof. The circle has two entrances with three-metre-high entrance gates. The use of material for the work of art fits in with the Lichtscherm (Light Screen) across the road because both works of art were created by the same artist: Noud de Wolf. 

On the border of water and land and of the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe are various blue and mint green cone-shaped beacons. One of the cones balances on its point and spurts water while a neon rainbow illuminates the other one when it’s dark. 

The Piccardthofplas is inhabited by vast numbers of birds. In order to prevent them from being drawn to the headlights of cars, Noud de Wolf was commissioned to design a light screen that would not deprive residents of the opposite houses their view of the water. After extensive research, De Wolf designed a 200-metre-long screen divided into 96 plates that capture the lights of the cars. The plates have been placed in such a way that a waving movement is created. Thanks to the shape, earthen colour and the gravel between the plates, the work functions as a natural filter between the tranquillity of the water and the dynamics of city life.

Visitors entering the city of Groningen via the main railway station immediately make their acquaintance with a typical Groningen work of art: the Peerd van Ome Loeks (Uncle Loek’s horse), created in 1959 by artist Jan de Baat and located in the centre of the station square. Rumour has it that the sculpture was created in memory of the racehorse of a Lucas (Loeks) van Hemmen, a riding-master and owner of De Slingerij pub and livery stable in Groningen. His horse died in 1910 and when the horse butcher came to collect it, some boys were singing: ‘Uncle Loek’s horse is dead’. This became a well-known Groningen folk song. Other sources, however, state that the song is based on a German student song.

This voluptuous woman with distinctive ultra-long lashes strides down the stairs of the Cascade complex at the Emmasingel. The sculpture was created by Silvia B. and placed here in 2004. Over eight metres high and seemingly an example of beauty, upon closer inspection it becomes clear that deficiencies are hidden behind this exterior.

The relationship between surface and spaces plays an important role in the work by Danish artist Per Kirkeby, and this also applies to this untitled work at the Emmasingel. The work consists of two rows of six columns connected crosswise as well as lengthwise using arch constructions. Wall surfaces are applied between some of the columns in such a way that a wall is positioned opposite every opening, resulting in a spatial line pattern of open and closed sections and changing light and shadow.