Eco Roteb Monument by Jan Eric Visser revealed on 5 October 2011
On 5 October 2011, a new, fully sustainable sculpture by Dutch artist Jan Eric Visser was unveiled in Rotterdam, Netherlands, by the art critic Anne Berk and Geert Verbeke (Verbeke Foundation). To enhance environmental awareness, Jan Eric Visser has been turning his household rubbish into works of art since 1986 - in line with the principle "form follows rubbish". The Eco Roteb Monument was commissioned by Roteb, the cleaning company of the city of Rotterdam.
Discarded materials find new meaning in the Eco Roteb Monument. A nine-ton sculpture concrete staircase that was removed from a building renovation serves as the base. The sculpture, which consists of 90 irreparable bike wrecks, sits on a three-meter-high platform of rubble, which comes from the same renovation. The bike construction was wrapped with Aquadyne, recycled plastic, which allows the growth of plants on it. Inside the pedestal is a fertilizer system to nourish the grass growing on the sculpture. The building can be entered through an entryway made from aluminum waste. Solar collectors that are integrated into the sculpture generate the energy that is needed to operate the fertilizer system and ensure that the energy that was consumed to build the sculpture is soon recovered.
Visser's first sculpture from Aquadyne has proved highly successful.
Aquadyne sculpture 2008 was first exhibited at the Rotterdam RAM and followed diretly afterwards to the New 21_21 Museum in Tokyo and Design Museum Holon, as part of the exhibition: POSTFOSSIL; excavating 21st century creation of Li Edelkoort.
New life to waste, grass growing on plastic. Aquadyne boards are made from 100% old polymers that are commonly used for drainage, green roofs and agricultural purposes. The production of the material is based on the concept of protecting global garbage dumps from flooding. The material is very porous, which allows plants to take root.
The creation of Eco Roteb Monument required not only working with a solar energy expert and a botanist, but also the skills of many craftsmen and other employees of Roteb. A "making of" documentary, which shows the contribution and experience, completes the project.
www.janericvisser.nlhttp://www.janericvisser.nl/
the sculpture can be viewed in front of the Roteb company building
Kleinpolderplein 5
3042 CE Rotterdam, Niederlande