Under Het Groot Handelshuis, near the entrance to the Grote Markt, you will find a remarkable artwork consisting of 20 pieces of glass appliqué. Earlier this year, it was restored and relocated to the bicycle cellar, where it is now visible to everyone. This month, the artwork has been nominated for the Public Art Prize. However, the creator of this artwork remains a mystery.
The glass appliqué consists of two windows stacked on top of each other, ten windows wide. The windows are composed of colored pieces of window glass, sometimes several layers thick, glued onto a white background. Blue, green, pink, and cream-colored strips and rectangles are combined with 'grains' of colorless glass. The different layers of colored glass create an optical color mixing and an almost transparent mural effect. In the original situation, this effect was achieved by natural outdoor light, but in the bicycle cellar, it is now supported by LED lighting.
This artwork originated in the Vroom & Dreesmann (V&D) expedition building on the Rodeweeshuisstraat, where it was likely presented as a gift to the management by the staff on the occasion of the branch's 10th anniversary in 1968. After V&D left the city and the building was sold, the glass appliqué was removed in 2018. However, the new owner of the building, MWPO, took an interest and created a beautiful place for the work near the entrance of Het Groot Handelshuis, in the staircase of the bicycle cellar. After six years in municipal storage, a thorough cleaning and restoration made possible by contributions from the municipality and MWPO, the glass appliqué is now on display for everyone to see in its full glory.
On one of the windows, the inscription ‘Design Esser Holland’ is etched, which probably refers to the maker of the work. Unfortunately, nothing is known about this company, leaving the identity of the maker unknown. Kunstpunt Groningen is therefore asking anyone who knows more about the maker of this artwork to help in the search.
Do you have more information about the maker of the glass appliqué? If so, please contact Kunstpunt at info@kunstpuntgroningen.nl.
Every year, Kunstpunt Groningen organizes the Public Art Prize during the Month of Public Art. The theme for the Public Art Prize 2023 is ‘art at entrances’. This year, ten artworks at the entrances of buildings in the municipality of Groningen have been nominated. Groningers can spotlight their favorite artwork by voting: kunstopstraatprijs.nl.