The changing same

About this artwork.

The contour of a six-metre-tall human figure made of stainless steel stands in the middle of the pond in front of the Duisenberg building at the Zernike complex. Surrounding the sculpture is a powerful fountain that sprays water upwards, hiding parts of the figure from view. The stream of water reaches up to the top of the shoulder and then dissipates into a dense mist. With a bit of luck, sometimes part of a rainbow can be seen in the sculpture on a sunny day.
 
The title of the sculpture refers to “something that changes yet remains the same”, representing the research at the Faculty of Environmental Science, which, simply put, studies humans and their environment. According to the artists Maree Blok and Bas Lugthart, the water of the fountain is the backbone of the human figure and is a metaphor for man's ability to change himself and his environment over and over again, without losing his identity.
 
The changing same was part of the art project (Years of Knowledge 1994–2014) at the University of Groningen. This project was started in 1994 on the occasion of the 380th anniversary of the university and ended in 2014 on the occasion of its 400th anniversary.

Facts & Figures.

• Design
  Bas Lugthart
  Maree Blok

• District
  Zernike

• Year of creation
  2000

• Art type
  Fountain

• Material
  Stainless steel

• Dimensions
  h 4,50 x b 1,00 x d 0,10 m