Protection (1961) Gust Romijn
On the facade above the entrance of the (former) police station at Slinge 162 is a work of art made by the Rotterdam artist Gust Romijn. It's a psychedelic sixties design. Decorative, with beautiful deep colors in a popping and striking pattern. This is very characteristic of the work of Romijn, who at that time - 1962 - made art in public space, which was much bolder and more outspoken than that of predecessors and contemporaries. The somewhat strange architecture of this police building benefits from this work. The fact that an alarm lamp was added above the door later does not even matter and seems to have been well incorporated into the work. The Het Vrije Volk of August 6, 1962 states that the work has the title Protection has got.
Gust Romijn (Noordwijkerhout, 1922 - Dreischor, 2010) worked as a sculptor, graphic artist and painter. Together with Louis van Roode and Piet Rovers, he belonged to the Window group, consisting of young Rotterdam graphic artists. In that period he also joined the Liga Nieuw Beelden. He took part in the World Fair in Brussels (1958). Romijn was awarded the National 5 May Graphics Prize (1955) and the Prix Suisse (1957). The artist lived and worked in Rotterdam for most of his career, until he moved to Dreischor on Schouwen-Duiveland in 1982.