General
This 1966 ceramic artwork was designed by Karel Appel. The design consists of a series of colourful drawings originally made in chalk and gouache. These drawings were transferred onto white ceramic tiles that were then placed on the canopy of the Tinbergen Building on campus Woudestein.
It is a portrait gallery depicting students and young city dwellers, for whom the future is still open. Everything is still possible, promises unfulfilled. It is an ode to freedom, vitality, youth and the future.
Karel Appel (Amsterdam, 1921 - Zurich, 2006) is one of the Netherlands' best-known modern art painters and sculptors. He trained at the Rijksacademie in Amsterdam, was a prominent member of the Cobra group and can be counted among the expressionists.
Appel produced paintings, collages and sculptures with simple forms and vibrant colours. He also produced commissioned works for outdoor spaces. His inspirations included children's drawings and fantasy creatures. By 1990, Karel Appel was exhibiting worldwide and the famous artist had studios in New York, Connecticut, Monaco and Tuscany.
This unique frieze is the largest of Karel Appel's three giant ceramics and typifies his work from the 1960-1970 period. It is one of the masterpieces in the EUR art collection and part of Monument Woudestein. Moreover, it is an unmistakable image-defining work of art on the campus.
The tile tableau by Karel Appel consists of 4030 tiles, approximately the size of paving stones.
Restoration
The artwork hangs outdoors and is exposed to a variety of weather conditions and air pollution. Rain, wind, temperature and sunlight cause weathering of the materials. Alternating rain and frost can also cause damage to works of art, especially if they are made of porous materials (e.g. ceramics). Microorganisms such as algae and mosses can cause weathering and erosion. A restoration is necessary to carefully clean the artwork and restore it to its original state.
It is also necessary for the restoration to take place now, as it can then be carried out at the same time as the renovation of Tinbergen Building. There is then no risk of the artwork being damaged by the building renovation.
To create a well-founded restoration plan, a project group was formed mid-2018, including stakeholders and experts from various disciplines. The project group met several times to discuss the outcomes of research in context in order to create a weighted and widely supported restoration recommendation from both an art-historical and technical point of view.
The non-worked white tiles have already been replaced with lower-quality tiles once in the 1980s. These are now being replaced by high-quality ones made by Royal TichelaarOpent externally in Makkum. The coloured tiles designed by Karel Appel will be restored in a workshop and put back after the renovation.
A detailed report will be made of the project so that it will be possible to trace back the restoration steps in the future.
Restoration specialists Renate Oosterloo and Michiel Overhoff are conducting the restoration of the colored tiles.
The restoration of the artwork is divided into two phases. The first phase involves the dismantling of the tiles and the restoration of the colored tiles. The second phase involves the production of the white tiles. Afterward, all tiles are safely stored until the renovation of the Tinbergen Building is completed, at which point they will be reinstalled on the facade.
The Tinbergen Building, to which the artwork is attached, is undergoing extensive renovation starting from 2024. To protect the artwork from damage during the renovation, such as from vibrations, it is carefully removed and will be reinstalled after the renovation is completed. Additionally, restoration can be optimally carried out under workshop conditions. An additional advantage is that the tiles are removed, allowing the canopy to be better prepared for reinstallation.
Yes, after the renovation of the Tinbergen Building, the restored artwork will be reinstalled in its original location.
When the renovation of the Tinbergen Building is completed.
Royal Tichelaar is currently collaborating with Van Milt Restaurateurs and TCKI to investigate the best choices for materials and techniques for the restoration of the colored tiles and the production of the white tiles.
The white tiles have previously been replaced and deviate from the original. By having the white tiles reproduced, we can ensure that they come closer to the original quality.
For transportation, we are collaborating with specialized companies that are experts in the field of art transportation.