De Schreeuw
De Schreeuw in 2012
ArtistJeroen Henneman
Year2007 (2007)
MediumStainless Steel
SubjectFreedom of speech
Dimensions4.5 m (15 ft) cm (??)
LocationOosterpark NL
Coordinates52°21′34″N 4°55′20″E / 52.35944°N 4.92222°E / 52.35944; 4.92222

De Schreeuw (The Scream) is a sculpture in the Oosterpark in Amsterdam that commemorates the assassinated Dutch film-maker Theo van Gogh. The monument was designed by Jeroen Henneman as a symbol of freedom of speech.

Background

Theo van Gogh was assassinated on 2 November 2004 in the Linnaeusstraat in Amsterdam, just a few steps away from the Oosterpark. The assassin was Mohammed Bouyeri.[1] In 2007 Henneman created the sculpture as symbol of freedom of speech.[2]

History

The 4.5 m (15 ft) high heat-blasted stainless steel statue is in the form of a stylized profile of a face that screams on one side and has a closed mouth on the other. The work shows the tension and complexity of the theme of freedom of expression and how Van Gogh was silenced.[3]

The designer, Jeroen Henneman, said on the occasion of the unveiling that he hopes the image will remind passers-by of the moment of the murder; "to Theo van Gogh, who cries out for mercy."[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "The murder that shattered Holland's liberal dream". The Guardian. 7 November 2004. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  2. ^ DiPiazza, Francesca (2011). Netherlands in pictures (2nd ed.). Minneapolis, MN: Twenty-First Century Books. p. 49. ISBN 9780761346289. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  3. ^ "Monument Theo van Gogh defaced with black marker". DPG Media BV. 15 September 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  4. ^ Karpowicz, Jeremiah (2022). "Modern Monument: The Scream by Jeroen Henneman Serves as a Memorial and Symbol". The Momentous. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to De Schreeuw.
Categories