Speigleri

2013

polyester, polyurethane, automotive  paint

27x 110x 19 cm

 sculpture made for the temporary

exhibition ‘Bronbekers in Beeld’, Museum

Bronbeek in Arnhem

 Museum Bronbeek in Arnhem is a museum about the Dutch colonial history focused on the East Indies, but is also a retirement home for military veterans. In 2013 the museum celebrated its 150 year anniversary. Part of the celebration was an art project: seven contemporary artists (the others were Lique Schoot, Maria Roosen, Space Cowboys, Rob Voerman, Lobke Burgers and Lee Eun Young) were invited to make an artwork for in the museum or the large park surrounding it, based on the lives of seven  residents of Bronbeek from different  time periods. I was asked to make a sculpture based on the life of Ludwig Speigler (1824-1893), a German who applied for the army in 1853  and went to Batavia in the East Indies.  He proved to be a great draughtsman, and was recruited by Pieter Bleeker who was making an encyclopedia of  the species of fish living in this region. Speigler made thousands of drawings and watercolors for him, and to show his appreciation for his dedication and good work, Bleeker named a newly discovered fish after him: the Valamugil speigleri. The project is well documented in a book, published by Stichting NOX.