Lou Bandy's hat (1985) Kunst & Vaarwerk

photo BKOR archive
About the artwork

De Lou Bandy's hat, made by Kunst & Vaarwerk, has been located in the pond of the Vroesenpark since 1985. It is an enlargement of the classic Oxford 1896 straw hat. It lies in the water as if blown off the head of someone who was strolling in the park. The oversize format gives the image an alienating effect. The hat is anchored to the bottom, floats around a bit, and has slanted a bit over the years. Every autumn the work is taken out of the water by Stadsbeheer and in the spring, when the frost has passed, the hat is placed back in the water. The hat is currently being restored and is in the depot.

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About the artist

Kunst & Vaarwerk was an artist group consisting of Cor Kraat (1946), Hans Citroen (1946) and Willem van Drunen (1947) and existed from 1979 to 1992. Kunst & Vaarwerk was a Dutch pop-art variant, which hit back with humor and irony to the harsh urbanity. The scale of the port city called for an art of stature and brutality, but it is also an art against forgetfulness. The group collaborated with the Rotterdam business community to finance the projects and has realized various works in public space.

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