Wild boar (1977) Tom Waakop Reijers

photo BKOR archive
About the artwork

A figurative image of a seated pig carries the text: Heemtuin, thanks in part to 75 year of Shell refinery. Shell donated the statue to Hoogvliet in 1977 on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. At the same time, Shell made an amount available for the construction of the nature garden. The animal stood on a wooden base and symbolizes the return of the primeval inhabitant of Hoogvliet. Waakop Reijers makes figurative sculptures, often animal and human figures. The statue was stolen in 2000. The then borough offered a reward of 1.000 guilders for the honest finder. On April 22, 2004 it became Wild boar unveiled in its new location on the lawn between the apartment buildings of Park Vossendijk.

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About the artist

Tom Waakop Reijers (Rotterdam, 1948) is a figurative sculptor of human and animal figures. The materials he used are wood, bronze, brass and weathering steel. He is the designer of the Rotterdam Bokelpenning: a medal that has been awarded annually since 1994 to persons who have made a special contribution to the former Noord borough. The artist lives and works in Rotterdam. He is best known for his statues of Joop Zoetemelk (1986) and Coen Moulijn (2009).

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