This work Hand and head created by Rotterdam artist Henk de Vos in 1959 for the facade of the 6th Industrial School for girls 'De Starrenburg'. The facade relief is divided into two halves. The left half shows a hand making the internationally known OK gesture: thumb and circle form the 'o' and the other fingers extend upwards. The right side shows half a face. The hand gesture and face have elegant details, which give the relief an unmistakable grace. Behind the hand a horizontal brick background is visible, behind the face the bricks are placed vertically. Despite its somewhat recessed position, the work still stands out. Artist Henk de Vos emphasized the architecture by giving depth to the building. The work was realized with the percentage scheme; it concerned an assignment during the construction of the school. The school has long since left and the building has been in anti-squat use for years. Unfortunately, the facade relief was damaged.
In the late 1930s, Henk de Vos (Rotterdam, 1911 – Ribiers, France, 1982), left the Netherlands shortly after his education at the art academy in Rotterdam. He arrived in the Dutch East Indies and was repatriated in 1949 after his wanderings and captivity, after which he started working as an artist in Rotterdam. He was a book illustrator, graphic artist and set designer. But also active in monumental art with concrete reliefs, gobelins, mosaics and wall sculptures in perspex. In 1961 he became a lecturer at the academy in Rotterdam and worked there until his retirement in 1976. He was a talented artist who, among other things, made the relief for the Beurs metro station, depicting a welder.
On the facade under extension, next to the entrance
Description
Facade relief with hand and head
Materials
Natural stone
Dimensions
3 2.5 x m
Year
1959
Client
Municipality of Rotterdam
Recruitment
Committee for the Rotterdam percentage scheme
Money source
Percentage regulation, involved construction assignment
Owner
Municipality of Rotterdam
About the artwork
This work Hand and head created by Rotterdam artist Henk de Vos in 1959 for the facade of the 6th Industrial School for girls 'De Starrenburg'. The facade relief is divided into two halves. The left half shows a hand making the internationally known OK gesture: thumb and circle form the 'o' and the other fingers extend upwards. The right side shows half a face. The hand gesture and face have elegant details, which give the relief an unmistakable grace. Behind the hand a horizontal brick background is visible, behind the face the bricks are placed vertically. Despite its somewhat recessed position, the work still stands out. Artist Henk de Vos emphasized the architecture by giving depth to the building. The work was realized with the percentage scheme; it concerned an assignment during the construction of the school. The school has long since left and the building has been in anti-squat use for years. Unfortunately, the facade relief was damaged.
In the late 1930s, Henk de Vos (Rotterdam, 1911 – Ribiers, France, 1982), left the Netherlands shortly after his education at the art academy in Rotterdam. He arrived in the Dutch East Indies and was repatriated in 1949 after his wanderings and captivity, after which he started working as an artist in Rotterdam. He was a book illustrator, graphic artist and set designer. But also active in monumental art with concrete reliefs, gobelins, mosaics and wall sculptures in perspex. In 1961 he became a lecturer at the academy in Rotterdam and worked there until his retirement in 1976. He was a talented artist who, among other things, made the relief for the Beurs metro station, depicting a welder.
On the facade under extension, next to the entrance
Description
Facade relief with hand and head
Materials
Natural stone
Dimensions
3 2.5 x m
Year
1959
Client
Municipality of Rotterdam
Recruitment
Committee for the Rotterdam percentage scheme
Money source
Percentage regulation, involved construction assignment
Owner
Municipality of Rotterdam
Henk de Vos -
Hand and head (1959)
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