Art for thought

“MONUMENT 1997 is the first artwork that you encounter when you walk in. The first time I saw it, I immediately took a picture of it. It looks as though it’s built from tiles, and the way that each of the tiles has a different structure is very special, but what you notice most, is that it is so big, and that it has a completely different style to the building itself.

It’s like a knight to me – the top looks a bit like a helmet. The phoenix, the panther and the angel are protecting him.
I noticed the panther first. Then there’s the phoenix, a mythical creature, and the all-seeing eye, a symbol that is used in various religious or spiritual contexts. As a Christian, these details stimulate my imagination.

I myself am someone who can become very passionate. So the burning heart, which is elsewhere in the building and has a different colour scheme, also appeals a great deal to me.

The symbolism in this work is not entirely in line with my own beliefs, but they are fascinating symbols and all in all it gives me food for thought. It enriches my study environment, it adds something extra.

At times when I am not too preoccupied it certainly grabs me, and then I am also able to see beauty in it.”