Machine

Location: Between Cascade and the Department of Physics 

The Rotterdammer Bekker (1928) obtains his HTS (institute of technology) diploma in Mechanical Engineering before going to the Academy of Fine Arts in 1954. In 1969 he becomes a teacher at the Free University in The Hague; apart from this, he works on his metal constructions.

Initially they are series of simple geometric shapes, to which ever more elements are added in the course of time. They become increasingly more surrealistic when he attaches loose materials such as coconut matting to them in 1969. In his latest sculptures he uses all kinds of pop-art-like influences when the geometric shapes are combined with concrete objects such as houseplants.

In the 1970s Bekker also made 'verbal constructions' or visual poetry. Using the words of poets like Schierbeek, Mulisch and Komrij he constructed pictures, which illustrated the subject.

The university collection includes two sculptures by Bekker, both entitled 'Machine'. The small version is from 1967, the big one from 1966.

See also: Vubis database

Links Kor de Bekker
http://www.tue.nl/cursor/bastiaan/jaargang44/cursor16/cultuur.shtml