Is that a tower I see rising from the grass? Among the man-sized shrubs stands Brettensuite 15/20. This steel sculpture is part of a series of 20. Herbert Nouwens created the Brettensuite sculptures. They form a dialogue with the Brettenpad landscapes since 2015.
The first meeting with Brettensuite 15/20 is often decisive. How it feels is leading. We experience this feeling internally. We do not need to touch the sculpture. There is an internal openness. We curiously fathom it. Meeting the sculpture means testing it. It also means examining and judging it.
If the meeting is successful, you might let the sculpture come closer. You might absorb it into your own inner space. This inner space is reserved for warm friendships.
Suite 15/20 is two steps wide. It is two steps deep. It is four times a body height high. These are the dimensions of the steel contours. The sculpture was made by welding rods together. The artist followed a more or less preconceived plan. The plan was not purely geometric. Nor was it fully recorded in a drawing. It is impossible to create a construction drawing for Brettensuite 15/20. There was too much improvisation. We cannot speak of a detailed plan or concept.
The sculptor did not submerge the rods in colored lacquer. He left them to rust. This was a meaningful decision. As a result, the sculpture is absorbed into nature. It does not present itself as a human artifact. The work recognizes its own origin. It comes from the earth. The earth is a breeding ground for the nature around it. It is also the breeding ground for art.
Size is the experience of space with Brettensuite 15/20. The space is within the structure. Space is also the open air void. This void occupies the entire suite. You can mainly detect that space from a distance. You see how the suite towers above the treetops. You can feel the space inside. Just stand at the bottom of the suite.
Herbert Nouwens said the relationship between a sculpture and its surroundings is key. He deliberately chose places along the Brettenpad. He wanted a landmark. The 7km path starts in Westerpark. It runs past Sloterdijk train station. It ends in a rural environment at the outskirts of the city. Nouwens positioned the sculptures in relation to each other. He was inspired by musical suites. Musical suites are collections of short musical pieces. Composers like Bach created them in the 17th century. They form a series of dances.
If you drive by train from Amsterdam Central to Amsterdam Sloterdijk you will see a large rust-brown colossus. It stands out of the window to the left. The Brettenpad is marked with green and white dots in the asphalt. It runs from Amsterdam West to Halfweg. According to the Municipality of Amsterdam, this is the last urban wilderness. Stone plaques along the path show images of the vegetation and animal life that resides here. A true paradise for the Amsterdam city dweller and all other outdoor enthusiasts. The sculptures are called suites by the sculptor. The word comes from the French suite par. It means followed by. It is mainly known from music. All suites are part of the overarching Brettensuite. This shows the coherence of the twenty sculptures.