In 1996, Canadian artist Jeff Wall was commissioned by the City of Rotterdam to create a sculpture to commemorate 50 years of reconstruction and 650 years of city rights. The national government funded the monument as a gift to the city of Rotterdam. The location of the sculpture is a reference to the history of the Wilhelminapier, where for decades emigrants boarded passenger ships of the Holland-America Line (HAL). The monument stands on the square in front of the old HAL office on the Kop van Zuid, where Hotel New York is now located. Lost Luggage Depot It is a repository for lost and found objects. It consists of an octagonal structure with three levels. Everything is made of cast iron, and the total weight is approximately 65.000 kg. Suitcases and bags are located in the structure as casts, which is illuminated by a light pole that is part of the artwork's design. The structure itself is also a cast. The items lying in the structure come from various eras. For instance, you will find a duffel bag from a hundred years ago, but also a computer bag from the more recent past, a portable CD player, and an abandoned stuffed animal. Everything is painted in a matte, rust-brown color to create formal coherence in the image. Although the casts literally originate from an existing reality, the sculpture depicts a historical disruption. The monument refers to emigration and the longing for a new future. It shows how people have severed the ties with their native soil. Lost Luggage Depot is a reminder of those who have left, but also for those who have arrived. Lost LuggageDepot has a special place as a sculpture in the oeuvre of the internationally renowned artist Jeff Wall, who is seen as the founder of conceptual photography. Wall once described the image as a 'material trace, just like a photo is, a trace that refers to what once was'. On 3 November 2001, the image was unveiled by then Prime Minister Wim Kok and then Mayor Ivo Opstelten. For more information: Sculpture International Rotterdam
Jeff Wall (Vancouver, 1946) is a Canadian photographer, art historian and visual artist. He began his career as a conceptual artist, but subsequently studied art history. After his studies, Wall started taking photographs. He stages his work down to the last detail, or – in his own words – he completely reconstructs a moment. He often uses actors to recreate a moment that appeals to his imagination. His photographic scenes often have as a background a mix of natural beauty, urban decay and a postmodern and industrial lack of features; elements that are typical of Vancouver. He is best known for his large cibachrome photographs, which he presents in light boxes. In 2005, Wall's work was on display at Documenta X. He was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada in 2007. In March 2008, he received the Audain Prize for Lifetime Achievement, an award for the visual arts that is presented annually by British Columbia. In 2024, Wall had a major solo exhibition at the Fondation Beyeler in Basel.
Octagonal pavilion with found objects and light pole
Materials
Cast iron
Dimensions
860 x 860 x 183 cm
years
2001
Client
Municipality of Rotterdam
Money source
Central government gift
Owner
Municipality of Rotterdam
Part of
About the artwork
In 1996, Canadian artist Jeff Wall was commissioned by the City of Rotterdam to create a sculpture to commemorate 50 years of reconstruction and 650 years of city rights. The national government funded the monument as a gift to the city of Rotterdam. The location of the sculpture is a reference to the history of the Wilhelminapier, where for decades emigrants boarded passenger ships of the Holland-America Line (HAL). The monument stands on the square in front of the old HAL office on the Kop van Zuid, where Hotel New York is now located. Lost Luggage Depot It is a repository for lost and found objects. It consists of an octagonal structure with three levels. Everything is made of cast iron, and the total weight is approximately 65.000 kg. Suitcases and bags are located in the structure as casts, which is illuminated by a light pole that is part of the artwork's design. The structure itself is also a cast. The items lying in the structure come from various eras. For instance, you will find a duffel bag from a hundred years ago, but also a computer bag from the more recent past, a portable CD player, and an abandoned stuffed animal. Everything is painted in a matte, rust-brown color to create formal coherence in the image. Although the casts literally originate from an existing reality, the sculpture depicts a historical disruption. The monument refers to emigration and the longing for a new future. It shows how people have severed the ties with their native soil. Lost Luggage Depot is a reminder of those who have left, but also for those who have arrived. Lost LuggageDepot has a special place as a sculpture in the oeuvre of the internationally renowned artist Jeff Wall, who is seen as the founder of conceptual photography. Wall once described the image as a 'material trace, just like a photo is, a trace that refers to what once was'. On 3 November 2001, the image was unveiled by then Prime Minister Wim Kok and then Mayor Ivo Opstelten. For more information: Sculpture International Rotterdam
Jeff Wall (Vancouver, 1946) is a Canadian photographer, art historian and visual artist. He began his career as a conceptual artist, but subsequently studied art history. After his studies, Wall started taking photographs. He stages his work down to the last detail, or – in his own words – he completely reconstructs a moment. He often uses actors to recreate a moment that appeals to his imagination. His photographic scenes often have as a background a mix of natural beauty, urban decay and a postmodern and industrial lack of features; elements that are typical of Vancouver. He is best known for his large cibachrome photographs, which he presents in light boxes. In 2005, Wall's work was on display at Documenta X. He was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada in 2007. In March 2008, he received the Audain Prize for Lifetime Achievement, an award for the visual arts that is presented annually by British Columbia. In 2024, Wall had a major solo exhibition at the Fondation Beyeler in Basel.
Octagonal pavilion with found objects and light pole
Materials
Cast iron
Dimensions
860 x 860 x 183 cm
years
2001
Client
Municipality of Rotterdam
Money source
Central government gift
Owner
Municipality of Rotterdam
Part of
Jeff Wall -
Lost Luggage Depot (2001)
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