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Little Man (Mannetje)

Gjalt Blaauw

About this artwork.

Little Man is the first and last figure-based sculpture that Gjalt Blaauw carved out of stone. During his training at Minerva Art Academy, the artist had never carved a model out of stone: “I wanted to see if I could do that. When I felt like I could do that, I could move on. My curiosity had been satisfied.”

Since 1975 the sculpture has stood on a hill in the Noorderplantsoen – a location that Gjalt Blaauw himself chose at the time – and is executed in white marble (cristallino). The human figure and the table he sits behind have been roughly carved. The head, without the neck, rests directly on the shoulders, the face is minimalist and the arms and hands are just barely distinguishable. For decades, the figure has been looking out over the Noorderplantsoen and, worn by time, has acquired an even coarser appearance. Over the 30 years that the statue has stood there, part of the nose and chin have disappeared. The roughness, reinforced by the decrepit state, gives Little Man an archaic quality.

After Little Man, Blaauw started to focus on stacking stones, which he modifies with great respect for the uniqueness of the material. In the 1980s he also began working with sheet metal, a material that, according to the artist, is less demanding than stone and offers unlimited possibilities. The combination of iron and stone gave rise to a range of sculptures.

Part of route.

Location.

Kruissingel (in het park)

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Facts & Figures.