Here before us stands Brettensuite 18. What stories could this sculpture tell? The Brettensuite 18 is part of a series of twenty monumental sculptures. Herbert Nouwens created this series. They line the 11-kilometer Brettenpad in Amsterdam. The Brettenpad begins in Westerpark. It runs to the edge of Amsterdam near Halfweg.
The West Art Stimuleringsprijs recognized the Brettensuite in 2015. Officials Maaike Sijbrandij, Piet Koster and Pieter Boekschooten helped make it happen.
The Brettensuite exemplifies integrating art and culture. It reuses cultural heritage. This creates new wins. These proactive officials made the sculptures possible. They connected two city districts. They bridged nature and office areas. The Brettensuite adds allure to the Brettenzone. It provides anchor points even in less prominent spots. The artist is lauded for his full cooperation. The sculptures vary from sleek to organic. They form a recognizable whole using rust-colored corten steel. Each sculpture has surprising elements. Close inspection reveals details unseen from afar.
Herbert Nouwens says the relationship between sculpture and surroundings is key. He chose locations along the Brettenpad needing a landmark. The path runs from Westerpark to a rural area near the city’s edge. Nouwens arranged the sculptures like musical suites. These are collections of short pieces forming a dance series.
City ecologist Remco Daalder described the Brettensuite. Cyclists and runners fill Westerpark. He saw the first Nouwens sculptures by the tunnel entrance. They stood like robust sentinels. Despite their size, they were understated. They fit well with the ecopassage stones guiding animals. The sculptures have human size and organic forms like Westerpark.
Suite 18 stands amid tall trees and shrubs. It is a detailed column like Suite 7. This column features a dented and folded plate. It is full of marks. Dents, caps and welds cover its surface.
The Brettensuite 18’s left side shows open seams. Plates fold toward each other and overlap. The heaviest mass is at the top. The volume has more scope there. But the difference from the bottom is small. It is neither open nor closed. It finds upward force in the steel folds. The steel plates test each other’s load-bearing capacity. The back differs from the front and sides. Walking around reveals the sculpture’s many facets.
Theo from artatsite.com says simple steel beams are rusted. They hold heavy arched plates. The beams seem weak compared to the plates. The plates are irregular and seem from a wrecked ship. Beauty can be found in the wrecked ship. We too were young. Now we are old. Is there beauty in that?
Herbert Nouwens lived and worked near Westergasfabriek. He returned in 2014. It was his 60th birthday. He wanted to see decades of work in his old workplace. Officials approached him after his Angels’ Share exhibit. They wanted to culturally enhance the Brettenpad.
Nouwens carefully chose the Brettenpad locations. He felt a relationship between art and its surroundings was important. He hoped cyclists and walkers would be surprised by the sculptures. He wanted them to see the sculptures as beads on a string telling a story. He called it Brettensuite. A suite is a collection of musical pieces. They can sound independent. But they create a musical journey together.