Grote Kijker (Large viewer) has won the Art in Public Space Prize 2022. The binoculars made of corten steel by artist Herbert Koekkoek came out as the public's favorite with 19 percent of the votes. Gate and bench by JCJ Vanderheyden in Woltersum and the graffiti art in the bicycle tunnel under the A28 and on the bus shelter in Haren by graffiti artists Michel Velt, Roman de Laporte, Quinten van Duuren, Elroy Gramsbergen and Alex Tjoelker finished in second and third place respectively. The story behind the winning artwork can be seen in this video (in Dutch).
Grote Kijker was made in 2002 and has been standing on a hill (the 'Spottershill') in the landscape park of Ten Boer since 2005. The lens of the binoculars is focused on the city of Groningen; it symbolizes the former administrative partnership between the municipalities of Ten Boer and Groningen. The sculpture was made by the self-taught artist Herbert Koekkoek (Vught, 1947). He characterizes his work as 'symbolic realism'.
A selection of the votes
A selection of the motivation of the voters to choose Grote Kijker as their favourite:
“The viewer visibly brings the city closer. Nice symbolism too.”
“I think it is a special, original art object and the design in Corten steel is beautiful. The beauty of the Groningen landscape deserves to be admired through binoculars.”
“Beautiful, approachable art object with a clear function.”
The municipality of Groningen has almost 600 works of art in public space. Kunstpunt manages a large part of these works of art and maintains them in collaboration with Stadsbeheer. With the Art in Public Space Prize, Kunstpunt puts a selection of works of art in the spotlight every year. This year's theme was 'panorama - view of the city and surrounding area'. For more than two weeks, Groningers could vote for one of the ten nominated works of art. It is the fifth year in a row that the Kunst op Straatprijs is being organized.