Spacebulbs (1965) Leendert Janzee
In 1965 artist Leendert Janzee made this work of art in the percentage scheme for the construction of the primary school De Tuimelaar. This bronze sculpture is about 150 cm high and has rough and rugged shapes of a modeled quality. The abstract form and the almost equally abstract title Spacebulbs seem to be a reference to science fiction influences. In the 1960s, science fiction influenced the appearance of fashion, design and also the visual arts. New synthetic materials offered the opportunity to create new shapes that were previously impossible to make, for example in wood or stone. However, Janzee chose to make his space shapes for this sculpture from traditional bronze. He literally creates space by leaving parts open and showing the structure of the image. Due to the refurbishment of the primary school playground, the artwork was removed at the beginning of 2019 and placed in a depot. The school did not want the work to return to the schoolyard. It is thanks to committed residents of the Princess Julianalaan that Spacebulbs in April 2021, partly thanks to the municipal project Wijkverrijkers, it has been given a second life and can be admired again in good condition. read here the background article about Spacebulbs.
The Rotterdam sculptor Leendert Janzee (Gouda, 1940 - Rotterdam, 1972) attended the Academy in Rotterdam and studied with Minguzzi at the Accademia Brera in Milan. He exhibited his images in Rotterdam, Toronto and Milan, developing very different styles. In 1964 he exhibited abstract 'space bulbs' in Keukenhof, which result from a more Wessel Couzijn-like style, a kind of abstract steel plastics. Two years later he showed pop-art-like sculptures at Galerie Delta, Fall out Baby, of a grim mutated baby with a gas mask. Around 1967 he began to present his 'furniture pieces' and then kinetic objects in groups in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and Stedelijk Museum Schiedam.