2023 : A sculpture for the city of Eindhoven / The Netherlands
Poort naar de toekomst / Gateway to the future
Andreas Hetfeld was commissioned by Philips to design the artwork Poort naar de Toekomst (Gataway to the Future). This statue is a tribute to founder Gerard Philips as well as a monument that stands for humanity and innovation.
The monumental statue that Andreas Hetfeld devised for the park and the residents of Eindhoven is a lifelike bust made of Corten steel. The monumental artwork will be placed by the end of 2022 and will connect Gerard Philips with the newly designed Victoria Park. The bust will soon be located near the old Philips factory: the origin of the company based on research and technology. Humans have always played an important part in Philips’ developments, which has left many visible traces in Eindhoven.
Gerard Philips' statue honors its aspect of humanity and welcomes the visitor to the park, who can literally identify with Gerard for a moment by walking through it.
Layering
Over the years, Philips has become a company with many layers of meaning. This is translated into the sculpture by the constructive stratification of the seven-meter-high statue, which is made up of 500 metal rings. One by one, these are stacked on top of each other and connected to each other. From a distance, the statues looks like it’s made out of one piece, but from up close the impressive fragmentation and layers become visible.
Passage
Mirrored stainless steel contrasts to the surroundings of the statue. The whole takes lightness and an extra dimension; trees, people and buildings are reflected, and visitors are mesmerized by constantly seeing changing reflections.
Environment
The sculpture is incorporated into the structure and rhythm of the modern urban ground. The dark brown oxidized skin of the statue gives a warm, subdued appearance, matching the character of Gerard Philips and the nature of the new park landscape.
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