Harry Sengers | ‘Het spaarpotje van Jurriaanse’
Artist: Harry Sengers (1948-2015)
Art work: Spaarpot J.E. Jurriaanse (2006), foto entree Jurriaanse Zaal (2024)
Translated: Money box J.E. Jurriaanse (2006), photo entrance Jurriaanse Zaal (2024)
Collection: de Doelen
Acquisition: Tanneke Barendregt and de Doelen Steunfonds
Visual artist Harry Sengers spent his life collecting objects from the city of Rotterdam, giving them a place in his photographic still lifes and installations. For him, objects were not merely things but artifacts that spoke of time, life, and light. He shared the stories behind these objects. Sengers would wander through the city on long excursions, observing and photographing old factories and demolished buildings, rummaging through bulky waste, and enjoying flea markets. In his own words, he sought "traces of life." Sengers referred to rubbish bins as "biographies" and flea markets as "treasure troves." Nothing was to disappear unnoticed.
Objects tell stories. To demonstrate this, Sengers worked with light—daylight. Everywhere he looked, he saw light and shadow. Art historian Frits Gierstberg described him as a master printer: "Sengers placed great value on the highlights and deep blacks in his black-and-white prints. He devoted an enormous amount of time to crafting them. He was a perfectionist: no speck, no dot, no glare was allowed to remain on the photograph."
This perfectionism is evident in the large photograph that has hung at the entrance of the Jurriaanse Hall since 2024. Sengers photographed a remarkable object bearing traces of a life, thus portraying Jan Jurriaanse (1906–1991). Jurriaanse was the owner of a machinery factory. In 1961, he founded the J.E. Jurriaanse Foundation, transferring his wealth to support cultural and social projects, such as de Doelen. De Jurriaanse Zaal was named after this patron. "The Piggy Bank" is not only a stunning photograph but also a story. Everyone starts small, the photograph seems to say.
The acquisition of this work was made possible by:
