Perspex
My first encounter with sculptures in a polder.
At end of the 1980s, while I was skating in the Island Polder Tour, I encountered the work of an artist who had placed immense sculptures in the polder and in his garden. Absolutely astonished, I wondered who that artist was.
In the spring of 1993, we received a visitor at our factory, who looked deviously around what was then our reception area, which more or less served as a showroom. We shook hands and looked each other straight in the eye (he with a thick pair of glasses, me still without) and we both immediately felt that this was right. Next, he showed me his work in a catalogue and with a jolt of recognition I found myself looking at the sculptures that were engraved in my memory. This was the man with the sculptures in the polder and here he was visiting my workplace!
Nic immediately expressed his interest in the Plexiglas products in our showroom and began to ask questions about the possibilities of this material. After our first meeting, Nic returned quickly with a paper and carton mould made to scale and the question of whether we could make a 30mm-thick sculpture of transparent Plexiglas. After we made the first sculpture, many more followed. Magnificently designed sculptures in complete harmony with the material.
There was nearly no limit to Nic’s creativity when he became familiar with the various materials he discovered in our factory. We were all too pleased to realise additional design assignments for Nic in materials that he had never used before. Never lacking inspiration, Nic always had new plans that he discussed to detail with an unforgettable mischievous and cheerful look in his eyes.
At a certain point, Nic began to draw metal entrance gates and fencing for his sculpture garden. We created the drawings in digital format, in colour, so that he could easily control the design. During this process, Nic developed a terminal disease. Regretfully, he was not able to see the end result.
We are now many years further, but we are delighted to still work for the museum and sculpture garden of the Jonk family.
ID Lite BV
Victor Spits
