The pre-cut parade horse (Het voorgesneden paradepaard)

About this artwork.

A horse butcher lived in the building at number 23 before the Second World War. Marijke Gémessy was inspired by this fact. This butcher was one of the many Jewish shopkeepers who contributed to the prosperity of Folkingestraat. At regular intervals, the horses were brought in and driven into the corridor to the slaughterhouse. The memory of this part of the past is now maintained by the ceramic relief The pre-cut parade horse. 
 
On the relief, a horse's hind legs can be seen in side view, life-size. Clasped between two walls we see it just walk into the butcher's shop, just before it will be slaughtered. The dissection – steak and loin – has already been made visible. It even has a quality mark. Behind the horse, authentic butcher's tiles can be seen, only the colour has been changed by the artist. Because of the reflective effect, the space seems larger. By placing the horse on a plinth, the work becomes not only a tribute to the former shopkeeper but also a tribute to the slaughtered horse.

The work forms part of the Verbeeld Verleden project.

Facts & Figures.

• Design
  Marijke Gémessy

• District
  Centrum

• Year of creation
  1997

• Art type
  Monument, Relief, Art in / on a building

• Material
  Ceramics

• Dimensions
  h 2,52 m