Artist Paul Van Hoeydonck (97) now also Officer in the Order of the Crown (Antwerp)
Last year, Paul Van Hoeydonck (97) may call himself the presumed and, for the time being, only honorary citizen of Wijnegem. Governor Cathy Berx has just created a new honorary title with an accompanying badge: ‘Officer in the Order of the Crown’, thanks to King Filip and two patrons Wilfried and Rosanne.
Fifty years ago, in the summer of 1971, the crew of Apollo 15 left a small aluminum statue of Paul Van Hoeydonck on the lunar surface. She placed a sign with the names of all fourteen American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts who died. Thus ‘Fallen Astronaut’ became a memorial for fallen space travelers.
This was not the simple setup. The designer of the figurine saw his ‘Man in Space’ as an ode to the unlimited possibilities of humanity. He had encased the human figure in blue plexi, like a space traveler on his way to distant horizons.
The fact that Paul Van Hoeydonck and his wife were received with great respect in the Antwerp provincial house 51 years after its ‘launch’ is due to ‘fans’ Wilfried and Rosanne. Last year, the couple visited his exhibition ‘A Lifetime of Art’ in Campo & Campo in Berchem, with work that Van Hoeydonck made from the 1950s to the present.
They thought it was unjustified that Van Hoeydonck had not yet doubted about the order of the crown. A brief to our monarch was supposed to change that, and King Philippe agreed to their request. Queen Mathilde recently visited Paul in his home and studio on Ruiterslaan in Wijnegem, near the Albert Canal.
The only artist with a work on the moon can therefore call himself an officer of the Order of the Crown, partly to the pride of Marleen Meyers, his forty years younger wife whom he married six years ago. She is also known as the manager of bistro The Boathouse in Willebroek.
“Artists are often already deceased when they are recognized. Fortunately, Paul can still enjoy it now. He is very proud of the recognition himself, and deserves it,” said his wife. Personal friend and resident Philip Heylen, former alderman of Culture in Antwerp, also shared in the joy. (yeah)