Description
Sculpture for the memorial garden at the Willem van den Bergh care park
At the Willem van den Bergh care park in Noordwijk, a special memorial garden has been established for the deceased residents of the park. In a semicircular wall, small cabinets have been created to store personal memories such as photos and cherished items of the deceased. Recently, this memorial site has been renewed and enriched with an accessible sculpture in the shape of a heart, specially designed as a symbol of remembrance and love; placed at wheelchair height.
The heart as a symbol
The residents of the care park often have intellectual disabilities, and some of them use wheelchairs. Therefore, I consciously chose a design that is simple and recognizable to everyone: a heart, the universal symbol of love. The artwork represents an open heart that accommodates various emotions and moves with the wind, just as our hearts can open to others.
In our hearts, we keep memories of our loved ones. It can be filled with love, but also with sadness and longing. An open heart also stands for forgiveness, something we all sometimes yearn for. But above all, the love for the people we loved, and still love, always remains present in our hearts. This sculpture is a reminder of that love for our loved ones.
Involvement of the residents
In a previous project, at the care park of ’s Heeren Loo in Ermelo, I (Jeroen Stok) also created a memorial for a memory garden. Although the design is somewhat similar, there are important differences. This artwork represents the ‘positive’ aspect of the form used there.
For the new sculpture in Noordwijk, the residents actively contributed to the choice of color. They opted for a warm copper tone, which harmonizes beautifully with the corten steel pedestal. As the steel ages, a beautiful combination of colors emerges that brings the artwork to life even more.
Unveiling of the art piece
The unveiling of the sculpture took place during a special ceremony, where music and poetry provided a festive opening of the renewed memorial garden. One of the residents had the honor of unveiling the artwork and expressed the words: “A heart full of love,” beautifully capturing the essence of the memorial.
The Willem van den Bergh care park
This care park, part of ’s Heeren Loo, has been around for almost a century and features a quiet, green environment with large, old trees. The residents are active in their daily activities, and the park offers a safe and peaceful place. The care park is open to the community and seamlessly blends into the village and the dunes; traffic is minimal, and nature is abundant.
Watch the report of the opening via the Berghjournal here.
