Gabo to be restored

Gabo to be restored


Naum Gabo’s untitled sculpture on the Coolsingel will finally be restored. Sculpture International Rotterdam has always fought for the art work’s restoration.

From the press release sent by Rotterdam’s city council:
This year, the owner of the work – Bouwfonds Investment Management – and the city of Rotterdam have succesfully discussed their ambitions in restoring the Gabo. Based on previous studies carried out on behalf of the owner, BIM decided to restore the sculpture and report to consult with representatives of the municipality and the National Cultural Heritage. This has led to the submission of the draft application on 25 July this year.

The large sculpture, with the nicknames “The stylized flower” and “The Thing,” is part of De Bijenkorf. The statue was constructed in 1956-1957, after drawings and models of Russian/American artist Naum Gabo. The work was produced in the construction and engineering workshops ‘Hollandia’ in Krimpen aan den IJssel. The artwork was unveiled on May 21, 1957, as the largest modern artwork in public space at that time. The monument is considered a highlight of the art of the Reconstruction Period.
The municipality and the owner strive to achieve a well-documented restoration, aiming to reproduce as much of the original grandure of the work as possible, using original techniques. The expectation of BIM is that the restoration will take about a year.