Middelharnis

The Province of South-Holland asked the sculptor Lucien den Arend to make a proposal for the new stretch of highway S47 (now N215)which was to bypass the towns Middelharnis, Sommelsdijk and Dirksland on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee in Zuid-Holland. He was to take into account the inherent qualities of the Goeree-Overflakkee landscape and visualize how the highway could be related to its surroundings by way of the integration of art. The Dirksland bridge was one of the main elements designed and realized by Lucien den Arend in this project.

At the entrance of the town of Middelharnis, the sculptor projected two earthen cones, covered by grass.

Old cities sometimes used to have an entrance gate flanked by two towers. These cones evoke this characteristic. At the same time they would serve as a barrier against sound - as well as a visual improvement over the view of some random industrial buildings gehind the location. This part of the total project was never executed. The local Ford dealer (in one of the random buildings) protested and got his way.

The tops were to be cast in concrete with bronze knobs on the summits. Aside from the evident visual function of these knobs, they would serve as a center for the mowing machine to wind the rope attached to it while hand mowing in a circular fashion.

1984/1989 earth art - earthen cones for the entrance of Middelharnis Highway S47 (now N215) - Provincial Department of Construction of the Province of Zuid-Holland NL

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