THE FLYING DUTCHMAN (sculpture)

Description

Narrative

On the 5th of September 2017 it was 25 years ago that toyism was founded. The former Royal Flight School (RLS1957) offered a great location for a jubilee party and a grand exposition covering 25 years of toyism. The RLS1957 was designed by architect Pierre Cuypers Jr. in collaboration with F.P. Glastra van Loon and Bart van der Leck. Van der Leck was also a member of De Stijl. Today the RLS1957 is still an icon of this art movement. In 2017 it was a hundred years ago that De Stijl was launched. 

During the exposition a sculpture, commissioned by the province of Drenthe, was made and painted by several toyists. The sculpture, in the form of an airplane, has two very different sides. One side represents toyism. The other side represents De Stijl. 

De Stijl

The Stijl side only has the characteristic colors of the movement, red, blue, yellow and black and white. In the middle of the airplane a tree can be spotted, referring to the trees that Mondriaan used in his paintings. At the back of the airplane, on the stabilizer, you can see a figure smoking a pipe. A reference to Theo van Doesburg, Bart van der Leck and Piet Mondriaan, all members of De Stijl, who smoked pipe.

Toyism

On the toyism side there are no restrictions in the use of colors. Several swans can also be seen flying with the airplane and riding it like  passengers. The swan is a reference to a famous KLM commercial and in this case also the building itself (many KLM-pilots recieved their training here). And who can spot the KLM-logo? Furthermore the stripes on the front of the airplane stand for the pilot ranks.  

The Flying Dutchman is now on permanent display in the former flight school.

Product Details

• Title: The Flying Dutchman
• Artist: Srylyn, Dejo, Lodieteb
• Year: 2017
• Technique: Acrylic
• Material: Polyester
• Size: 500 x 550 x 100 cm
• Commissioned – not available

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