City marking S03/ A Walk along the Border

De Tweeling (The Twins) is a magnificent fountain in the public garden pond at the Reddingiusstraat. The stainless steel construction consists of two mirroring abstract figures that spout water in each other’s direction. Commissioned by the art commission of the Vereniging Wijkopbouw Hoogkerk, Tomislav Miki Djordjevic created De Tweeling in 2001.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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. At the Friesestraatweg is a city marking that is considered a monument of Groningen’s industrial past. Artist Thom Puckey created a distinctive Groningen factory chimney, which in the nineteenth century were often found at brickyards, strawboard and potato flour factories throughout the province. In the late 20 th century many of these factories were closed down, as represented by the bronze branches growing out of the windows.

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 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.

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.

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.

‘Stap’ (Step) is the larger than life-sized and extremely stylised body of a young girl who is hardly awakened and anonymous because of her missing head, arms and hands. She is standing straight and proud. Academy teacher Peter Stut created the bluestone pedestal that is reminiscent of a catwalk. The posture and stylised representation are characteristic of the sculptures by Siepman van den Berg, who is predominantly interested in the patterns of the human body and the abstraction that results when individual features are omitted.

The Olifant (Elephant) fountain was created by artist Wladimir de Vries. The sculpture of the elephant carrying a boy on its back is as old as De Wijert, the district where the statue is located. For many people, the De Wijert housebuilding plan (around 1960) was a huge improvement in their housing. The work of art was a gift from the ‘Maatschappij tot verbetering van woningtoestanden’ (society for the improvement of housing issues) to the municipality of Groningen. During winter the Elephant is stored by city maintenance to prevent frost damage.