Ra Ra Avis
Gjalt Blaauw
About this artwork.
Gjalt Blaauw has several sculptures in the city of Groningen. Virtually all of these sculptures consist of parts that are stacked without being secured to each other, but remain in position due to their balanced masses and careful placement. The way Gjalt Blaauw plays with balance – works that are uneven yet stable – is characteristic of his style. Ra Ra Avis is one of the earliest “stacked” works by the artist. Judging from the title – Latin for “rare bird” – the sculpture depicts a marble bird without a head, standing on a horizontal, rectangular slab of dolomite. The entire piece is balanced on a hard rock pedestal.
Blaauw created the sculpture in 1976 under the visual arts scheme (Beeldende Kunst Regeling or BKR), after which it was kept in storage by the Municipality of Groningen for years. It was only in 1996 that the sculpture found a place in the park on Adriaan van Ostadestraat.
Location.
Adriaan van Ostadestraat (parkje)
Facts & Figures.
-
Design
Gjalt Blaauw -
Year of creation
1996 -
Art type
Freestanding sculpture -
Material
Bluestone, Dolomite (Anröchter), Marble (crystalline) -
Dimensions
h 1,50 x b 0,85 x d 0,80 m