Hospitality - Flanagan

Barry Flanagan (Great Britain, 1941)

Created: 1990
posted: 1997
Purchased: 1997
Location: Dunes in front of the Zwin plain, end of Zeedijk, Het Zoute

About the artist
The British artist Barry Flanagan is one of the most striking figures in post-war sculpture. He belongs to the rare group of contemporary artists who can be grasped by the broad layers of the population. This is evidenced by the interest in his work throughout Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia, ... Through a classical formal language, he deals with universal themes such as the situation of the individual and the artist in society.

About the image
For many years, Flanagan has used the hare as a starting point for formulating his ideas. The animal stands for freedom, independence, dynamism, fertility, strength and individuality.
It is no coincidence that this bronze statue on a bronze pyramid-shaped pedestal (the fifth of 5 similar statues spread around the world) was placed in one of the most beautiful places in the country. Although a hare and not a rabbit, which is what one would expect in this biotope, this dynamic image can be perfectly integrated into our dunes.
The hare here stands for hospitality, and that is certainly a concept in our seaside resort. However, "Hospitality" quickly acquired a series of nicknames, for example, the image is called "keuning van 't Zwin", "Bugs Bunny" or simply "'t Keun".

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