Eighth and last work of art on the Oranje Loper auxiliary bridge
On November 9, the latter was attached to an auxiliary bridge. It is about ‘The Explorer’s Bridge’ by Jazmin Charalambous. The artwork can be seen on the auxiliary bridge over the Bilderdijkgracht. In total there are 8 works of art. All works of art are attached to the auxiliary bridges. The auxiliary bridges are located next to the bridges that we are going to renovate.
In March 2022, residents and entrepreneurs received a folder in their letterbox with 3 designs. They could then vote for 1 of the 3 designs for the auxiliary bridge in their neighbourhood. The auxiliary bridges are needed as a temporary place for all cables and pipes that are in the bridges that we are renovating. We wanted to make it something beautiful together with the neighborhood because the auxiliary bridges will still be there for a while. At the Ritsaert ten Cate bridge over the Bilderdijkgracht, the most votes went to the artwork ‘The Discoverers Bridge’ by Jazmin Charalambous. The artworks of the auxiliary bridges over the Singel, the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht, the Prinsengracht, the Lijnbaansgracht and the Singelgracht and the Admiralengracht are also visible.
The discoverer’s bridge
Jazmin was guided in her design by, among other things, the great explorers of the past. by, for example, Abel Tasman. She wondered how he must have felt when he first set foot in Tasmania and New Zealand. That amazement Jazmin wanted to Amsterdam by using exotic flowers in her artwork. refers to her artwork to the boundaries of the city and the people of Amsterdam themselves. According to Jazmin, he is curious about what is happening outside his national borders.
Uninhibited feeling
“I wanted to give that uninhibited feeling and that relevant to others a place on the bridge,” says Jazmin. “A little jungle and disruption in Amsterdam never hurt anyone. I hope that the art bridge challenges people to color outside the lines. Or that in their heads they even wander to another place. No national borders are needed for a journey: adventure can be found everywhere.”
not finished
The artwork and the auxiliary bridge are not yet finished. In all works of art there are small holes that together form the shapes. When the auxiliary bridges are illuminated for pedestrians in the evening, the works of art also light up. In this way, the artworks look very different in the dark than during the day. The time for this lighting on. We also apply panels to the inside of the bridge. This will make the hole pattern of the designs easier to see during the day. We also make a road surface and ensure that the auxiliary bridges connect well to the quays. Pedestrians will soon be able to use the bridges as well.