Two enigmatic figures stand before you. These are the Twee silhouetten. This isn’t just any sculpture. It’s a three-meter-high hard stone artwork. Belgian artist Huib Fens created it in 1986.
The Twee silhouetten are located on a grassy patch. It’s nestled between the Sarphatistraat and the Plantage Muidergracht. Artis zoo lies across the canal. The sculpture acts as a silent divider between the animal kingdom and city life. Fens was commissioned to create a physical separation. He cleverly used art to bridge the gap.
The sculpture consists of two almost identical figures. They are carved from arduin. One figure is a near mirror image of the other. It’s rotated a quarter or three-quarter turn. This intentional repetition was not a mistake. Fens explored the concepts of inner and outer forms.
The surfaces are incredibly smooth. The edges however are deliberately rough. During installation one of the slabs slipped from the crane’s sling. Amazingly it survived undamaged. The Twee silhouetten represent a transition in Fens’s artistic journey. He shifted from three-dimensional to two-dimensional work. These sculptures are remarkably thin. Only about 10 centimeters thick. Later in his life Fens developed rheumatism. This hindered his ability to continue creating such intricate work. He turned to poetry. This fascinating sculpture is a testament to his unique artistic vision.