Untitled (1996) Anton Vrede
On the Noordereiland, on the corner of Thorbeckestraat and Maaskade, a colorful mural was painted in 1996 by the Rotterdam artist Anton Vrede. The painting is a reference to Noah's Ark and shows the animals that built it Motor ship Noordereiland (2000) on her distant travels. From top to bottom we see a penguin, toucan, seagull, parrot, rabbit, dog, owl and elephant depicted. After 27 years, the painting was badly weathered and in need of a makeover. Commissioned by BKOR, the painting was reapplied in the summer of 2023 by Atelier Leo Mineur, in close consultation with the artist himself. On the occasion of the restoration of the mural, Ciska Meister created a artist portrait made, in which Vrede talks about his life and work.
Artist Anton Vrede is a painter, graphic artist, illustrator and sculptor. In his work, a leading role is reserved for animal figures that often have their own symbolic meanings and refer to fables. His style is expressive and figurative. He studied at the art academy in Breda and at the Willem de Kooning Academy, where he was taught by Klaas Gubbels and Kees Franse, and where he graduated with honors in 1977. He received the Drempelprijs in 1978-1980 and his work is included in numerous collections and can be seen in exhibitions, for example in 2018 in TENT. In 2022 he was nominated for the Hendrik Chabot prize. On the occasion of the restoration of his mural on the North Island, BKOR created in 2023 a short film, in which he talks about his life and work.
Thorbeckestraat 2, 3071 XX Rotterdam, Netherlands