Enrich yourself

Amsterdammer Pieter Ceizer returns from Paris with HOPE, a four-metre-tall sculpture for Museumplein

On Friday 10 September, Paris-based artist Pieter Ceizer will unveil his sculpture HOPE on Museumplein (Museum Square). For the artist it is a particularly fitting location for his work, given his personal connection with the square. As a young boy, it was at the half-pipe on Museumplein that he discovered skateboarding, and later graffiti too. His experiences with graffiti formed the basis for his later typographic work. Ceizer, who now works from Paris, is an established name, working with brands such as Heineken, Uniqlo (for Roger Federer and others) and Paris Saint-Germain football club. The Museum Quarter business community has come together to jointly present Ceizer’s sculptural work HOPE on Museumplein, where the public can enjoy it from 10 September onwards. The work will then move to various sites around the Museum Quarter until beginning of December.

HOPE – A positive statement by Pieter Ceizer and the Museum Quarter business community When Pieter Ceizer designed a clothing collection for the Van Gogh Museum last year, a connection was soon forged between the artist and the Museum Quarter business association. The association’s chair Kay Bartelink explains: ‘As an association we were keen to add something hopeful, cheerful and contemporary that symbolises the aspirations and innovations of local entrepreneurs. All of these things come together in Pieter Ceizer’s work HOPE.’ The artist agrees wholeheartedly: ‘I am myself an artist-entrepreneur. I make paintings and sculptures, but I also design clothing and collaborate with brands. I know the struggles and the need to stay optimistic and innovative.’ Turning to HOPE itself, the work he made for Museumplein, he explains that ‘The sculpture represents hope and solace in uncertain times. The last 18 months have been mentally challenging for everyone, but it looks like gradually everything is falling back into place. This icon of hope will stand at an iconic location.’

Pieter Ceizer has this to say about the design of the sculpture itself: ‘The piece connects with the work of Robert Indiana. The flowers are a reference to Andy Warhol, the joyfulness and energy of flower power, the thirst for freedom, a new model, consciousness, a fresh start.’

Members of the Museumplein business community focus on their HOPE and innovation over the past year:

Alon Ben Joseph, Ace Jewelers ‘There was an urgent need to innovate in the sector. We completely overhauled our marketing strategy and started doing live interviews with industry leaders – customers were even able to pose questions directly during the interviews. We’ve brought them all together at www.TheAceList.com. We’ve also produced a podcast series, ‘The Art of Collecting Wristwatches’, especially to give our customers an opportunity to have their say.

Willeke Bouricius and Dennis van Dijk, Barpiazza (formerly Solo) ‘We had to adapt incredibly quickly during the first lockdown. The compulsory closure of cultural venues on Museumplein meant a large portion of our clientele disappeared. We could see the crisis was going to last a long time, so we decided on a drastic change of course. We invested in a special pizza oven and gave the interior a complete makeover – with the help of our staff. After a period of intensive self-study in and YouTube research, we arrived at a refined recipe for a dough that’s healthy and light. The new concept, Barpiazza, has been a hit with a really broad customer base, including visitors to the Concertgebouw, local people, and recreational users of the Museumplein.’

Lotte Vink, Labfresh ‘After four years as an online shop, we decided our brand deserved a physical shop, and we immediately thought it should be on Museumplein. We didn’t let Covid stop us, and went full-steam ahead. Post-crisis, our concept of sustainable basics is an even better fit with the spirit of the times, with people making increasingly conscious choices as consumers.’

‘Museumplein was a mess back then, but it was everything to me!’ Pieter Ceizer was eight years old when he saw his first half-pipe on Museumplein back in the 1990s, when he was visiting the nearby Zuiderbad swimming pool with his school. ‘I was immediately curious. I bought a skateboard at the second-hand market on Queen’s Day and visited Museumplein every day – I was the little nerd among all those skaters. I learned from the big boys, people like Clyde Semmoh, a true legend. After a successful career as a skater, I also encountered graffiti for the first time on Museumplein. So I immersed myself in that as well – and that included compulsory community service and nights spent in the police cell. The graffiti led me to the art academy, where I developed my style, which actually to this day still takes the same departure points of offering solace and humour – of making life more beautiful!’

For more information, please contact Jacob van der Vlugt, jacob@roemrucht.com