On June 3 is the red-winged object Rewind placed on Willemsplein with a striking colorful new appearance. Graphic designer and street artist David Louf aka Mr. June, made the design in collaboration with Rotterdammers from the LGBTIQ + community and with the creator of Rewind, architect Cesare Peeren.
Citizen's initiative
The citizens' initiative for a monument to sexual and gender diversity gained broad support in the city council through a motion submitted by GroenLinks and PvdA. BKOR collaborated with the Municipality of Rotterdam and the initiators Gert-Jan Verboom, Talitha Nöllen, Claus Verbrugge and Eyasu Hindrik Balcha on the development of a monument at a location where the LGBTIQ+ community can meet, celebrate, respectfully and safely, individually or in small groups. remember or commemorate. After a series of investigations and campaigns, Willemsplein turned out to be the most suitable. A place has now been created on the Maas and in the vicinity of the Erasmus Bridge where the initiative becomes visible.
Councilor Said Kasmi (Education, Culture and Tourism) says: “I am very happy that we and the initiators have found a beautiful place in the center of Rotterdam for an important subject such as sexual diversity. In Rotterdam you just have to be able to be yourself. You can love who you want, regardless of who you are. And you can show that too. It is good that we emphasize that thought again with this artwork. "
Gert-Jan Verboom, one of the initiators: “In the history of the LGBTIQ + community, art and culture has been a means of putting topics on the agenda and making them discussable. With this marking we want to create a place where we can commemorate, celebrate and keep on the agenda together. ”
Marking of the monument
Plans for a future redevelopment and possible greening of Willemsplein are not yet concrete. It is therefore too early at this location for a definitive object as a monument. Architect Césare Peeren was asked again about the seating object already there Rewind to highlight. The concrete anchors with the associated windmill blades were given a different appearance. The painting of Mr. June marks the presence of the LGBTIQ + community, now and in the future.
Rotterdam's first circular seating furniture for the public space was already built in 2012. Césare Peeren: “Now the entire object, which already consists of 90% recycled material, is entering its third life for the LGBTIQ + community."