Prometheus (1968) Huib Noorlander
The Huib Noorlander commissioned the percentage regulation for the expansion of the building to create an image for the seating area on Academiestraat. At the time, the Academy of Visual Arts and Technical Sciences was established here. Noorlander made a bronze statue of a figure sitting crosswise on a brickwork base. The figure has an abstract shape above his head. Since the image is the title Prometheus this shape is likely to represent a bird. For in Greek mythology man had fared poorly in the allocation of gifts and skills by the Greek gods. Other living beings were much better off, so Promotheus out of pride and megalomania stole fire from the Olympian gods and gave it to humans. Thus man learned to work metal and to develop a technical civilization. Promotheus was punished by Zeus; he was shackled to the Caucasus mountain range, where the eagle Ethon came every day to eat his liver. Promotheus is thus associated with technology and that is why he has been the official 'mascot' of many technical schools, such as here at the former Academy of Visual Arts and Technical Sciences.
Huib Noorlander (Schiebroek, 1928 - Nijmegen, 2004) was a figurative sculptor. In 1951 he founded the artist group together with Louis van Roode, Jan Burgerhout, Kees French, Jan Goedhart, Charles Kemper and Ed van Zanden Argus on. On the occasion of the 100 anniversary of the Holland America Line, he made a picture of it Cauldron Twinkle (1973). A replica of this has been in the Maritime Museum Rotterdam since 1998. A reduced version is awarded annually as a Ketelbinkie prize. Various images of Noorlander can be found in Rotterdam. Reading girl en The family were originally made of natural stone, but after being damaged a bronze cast was made of both statues. In the 1960s, Noorlander and artist Joeki Simak formed the most famous artist couple in Rotterdam.