rare citizens

Emerald, Pijnacker
Commission: City Council of Pijnacker
Materials: glazed ceramic tiles on concrete foundation
About: fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra)
Produced at: the Royal Tichelaar, Makkum (Fr)
Dimensions: l 5 m x b 8 m
Year: 2000
Status: realised

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Like Kattenbroek (‘Tertulia’), the district Emerald of the city of Pijnacker has the size of a small 17th century town and has been built in only a few years. When the inhabitants of the suburb of Pijnacker moved in, the last spotted salamander moved out. Salamanders not only change shape going through several metamorphosis, they also are one of the few animals known  to grow back their limbs after they have been cut off. The image of the hands with the salamander is mixed with the images of the sky reflected on the surface of the water. A last salamander is eternalized, immortalized, petrified.

With special thanks to the Royal Tichelaar in Makkum (Friesland) and Jan Lieverding