When the trains suddenly stopped running and I had to take a long route via Amsterdam Zuid …
I caught a glimpse of a massive artwork as my bus was making a turn. I had to go back!
As it turned out, the gigantic statue is on the forecourt of the newly opened Amsterdam District Court.
This is ‘Love or Generosity’ (Dutch: Liefde of Edelmoedigheid). A five meters high giant sculpture by a French/American artist, Nicole Eisenman. The artwork stands tall on the public square, next to a reflective pool. It consists of a very tall male figure with a thick nose and tousled hair, wearing sweatpants and a pair of yellow boots. Interestingly, several intriguing attributes are on his right hand; an owl which represents wisdom, an arrow as a metaphor for perseverance and an acorn as a symbol of growth and patience.
The work of art is the ‘gatekeeper’ of the court, friendly and approachable and serves as an intermediary between the ten-storey high courthouse behind it and the people on the ground level.
According to the Court’s website, the two shiny stripes on the pants inadvertently refer to the Amsterdam hero, Johan Cruijff (professional footballer), a local connotation that Nicole Eisenman appreciates and likes to include in her work.
Love or Generosity was placed here on 27 November 2020.
📍Parnassusweg 280. 1076 AV Amsterdam.
That was well worth a detour to see it up close.