About bridges (Over bruggen)

About this artwork.

Under the Oosterbrug bridge, graphic designer Peter de Kan applied Werkman's poem. The poem Gestadige beweging (Steady Movement) consists of twelve two-line verses. The letters are made of aluminium and hang from a single point. When the bridge opens, they gently swing back and forth in their spot. The steady movement of the bridge continues in the letters that make greyish undulating contact with the water. The poem offers the stopping, waiting traffic a moment of rest and perhaps even contemplation.
 
Werkman is best known for his paintings and prints, and less so for his literary work. Werkman's sound poems are light-hearted and playful. It's mainly about the sounds rather than the content. He combined existing words with corrupted English and French words to create a sort of macaronic language. The funny thing about it is the sudden recognition of words in an illogical or incomprehensible context.

Facts & Figures.

• Design
  Peter de Kan
  Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman

• District
  Oosterpoort & Europapark

• Year of creation
  1997

• Art type
  Design, Art in / on a building

• Material
  Aluminium

• Dimensions
  h 9,00 m