Mayor Hans Ouwerkerk (1991-1998)

About this artwork.

Hans Ouwerkerk (b. 1941) is a politician on behalf of the Labor Party (PvdA) and grew up in The Hague. He studied history at the University of Leiden and became nationally known as “Ombudsman” in the VARA TV program of the same name. Ouwerkerk held the mayoral office in 1991 and was loved by both city and council and was appointed for a second term as mayor. Vandalism and looting in the Oosterparkwijk on December 30, 1997, as a prelude to the traditional New Year's Eve riots, lead to Ouwerkerk's downfall. He takes responsibility and publicly distances himself from the failing police action. If only the college parties support him on January 28, 1998, he resigns from his office as mayor after an emotional speech.

Sixteen years after mayor Ouwerkerk resigned, then mayor Ruud Vreeman unveiled the mayor's portrait of Ouwerkerk. Although Groningen has no established tradition of portraying the mayors, Vreeman initiated a mayor's gallery in the City Hall, which Ouwerkerk should not be missing. Painter Milan Smidt (born 1989) – student of Matthijs Röling – was asked to paint the portrait. Smidt has been interested in nature and art from an early age, in which he is looking for stillness, simplicity, beauty and mysticism.

A video of the unveiling can be found by clicking on this link.

Facts & Figures.

• Artist(s)
  Milan Smidt

• Year of creation
  2014

• Dimensions (in cm)
  129x124

• Collection
  Town Hall Collection

• Technic
  Oil paint on canvas