Art@Site www.artatsite.com Nicolas Dings Baruch Despinoza
Artist:

Nicolas Dings

Title:

Baruch Despinoza

Year:
2008
Adress:
Zwanenburgwal
Website:
www.buitenbeeldinbeeld.nl:
Het standbeeld van de filosoof is onthuld op zijn 376e geboortedag. Zijn geboortestad is Amsterdam, het beeld staat vlak bij de plek waar hij ter wereld kwam. Maar op aandringen van de rabbijnen werd Spinoza op 24-jarige leeftijd door het gemeentebestuur verbannen uit de stad. De zoon van Portugees-joodse immigranten zou zich schuldig gemaakt hebben aan ketterij want hij twijfelde openlijk aan kerkelijke dogma’s. Spinoza stelde dat God onpersoonlijk was en geen vrije wil of plan kent. De natuur was in zijn ogen God en de Bijbel mensenwerk.
Spinoza dacht heel positief over zijn stad: 'Amsterdam bijvoorbeeld plukt de vruchten van de vrijheid blijkens zijn groei, die alle volken bewonderen. In deze bloeiende en bevoorrechte stadstaat leven immers mensen uit alle volken en met alle mogelijke geloofsovertuigingen eendrachtig samen.'
Na zijn verbanning woonde Spinoza een aantal jaar in Rijnsburg en vestigde zich daarna in den Haag. Daar voltooide hij het boek Ethica, zijn levenswerk. Hij stierf in die stad, waarschijnlijk aan tuberculose. Den Haag heeft ter herinnering aan zijn beroemde ingezetene een standbeeld, het werd onthuld in 1880 en is gemaakt door Frédéric Hexamer.

www.wikipedia.org:
Beeld van Spinoza in Amsterdam, bij de Stopera (aan de Zwanenburgwal), gemaakt door Nicolas Dings. Het citaat op de sokkel luidt: ‘Het doel van de staat is de vrijheid’. De icosaëder staat volgens de kunstenaar symbool voor het denken van Spinoza: het universum als model, geslepen door de menselijke geest.

www.wikipedia.org:
Beeld van Spinoza in Amsterdam, bij de Stopera (aan de Zwanenburgwal), gemaakt door Nicolas Dings. Het citaat op de sokkel luidt: ‘Het doel van de staat is de vrijheid’. De icosaëder staat volgens de kunstenaar symbool voor het denken van Spinoza: het universum als model, geslepen door de menselijke geest.

www.nicolasdings.nl:
On 24 November 2008, Amsterdam’s Mayor Job Cohen and Cultural Councillor Carolien Gehrels unveiled a monument near the City Hall on the Zwanenburgwal, where the house in which Spinoza was born once stood. By commissioning to make a sculpture in honor of Baruch de Spinoza (later in life he called himself Benedictus de Spinoza) the Spinoza Monument Foundation wished to pay homage to one of the greatest thinkers of the 17th century and one of the most important cultural innova¬tors in the history of mankind. Spinoza’s body of thought emphatically shows us the importance of the freedom of the individual, and seems more current than ever in this day and age. His views on tolerance and freedom of religion can still serve as fundamental principals for our constantly changing society – NOW, but most assuredly also in the future. With the great reassessment of Spinoza’s philosophical ideas currently taking place, one could almost speak of the great LOVE some aficionados have for Spinoza. That may sound slightly pathetic, but Love, according to Spinoza’s own ‘definitions of the passions’, is ‘joy coupled with an awareness of the outward cause’. Particularly in these times, the ‘outward cause’ of Spinoza’s views must be ardently expressed. However, words are inconceivable nowadays without images. This need for images leads to our ‘outward need’ to capture Spinoza in a sculpture and solidify his philosophical opinions in a physical commemoration to his person. The figure of Spinoza, grand yet modest, stands on a pedestal that is placed on an elliptical platform. The sculpture is by the artist Nicolas Dings, who in an inimitable manner has given the person of Spinoza a new, contemporary cloak that is decorated with birds and flowers which refer to the cultural diversity of the city. As a result, Dings’ artwork is not only a recognizable historical statue, but also a stimulating monument in the midst of contemporary society. Inspired by the citation from Spinoza carved on the monument, ‘The purpose of the state is freedom’, the actualization of the sculpture proceeded almost perfectly smoothly, in a very short period of time and with excellent collaboration. The Spinoza Monument Foundation would especially like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the artist; to the Amsterdam Fund For the Arts, who made the actualization of the monument possible through its generous subsidy; to the city of Amsterdam for its flexible collaboration; and to all of the other parties who were so devoted; and who can say it better than Spinoza himself: ‘Gratitude or thankfulness is love’s desire or endeavor to do good to someone who has done us a service out of an equal love affect.’

Translation
www.buitenbeeldinbeeld.nl:
The statue of the philosopher is revealed on his 376th birthday. His home town of Amsterdam, the picture is near the place where he was born. But at the insistence of the rabbis, Spinoza was at the age of 24 banned by the city council of the city. The son of Portuguese-Jewish immigrants would have been guilty of heresy because he cast doubt on church dogma. Spinoza argued that God was impersonal and has no free will or plan. Nature was in his eyes God and the Bible with people.
Spinoza thought very positive about his city:"Amsterdam for example reaps the fruits of freedom, whose growth is admired by all nations. Indeed, in this thriving city-state life and privileged people of all nations and by all faiths standing together."
After his banishment Spinoza lived several years in Rijnsburg and then settled in The Hague. There he completed the book Ethics, his life's work. He died in that city, probably from tuberculosis. The Hague to commemorate his famous resident's statue, unveiled in 1880 and was designed by Frédéric Hexamer.

www.wikipedia.org:
Statue of Spinoza in Amsterdam, at the Stopera (on Zwanenburgwal), made by Nicolas Dings. The quote on the pedestal reads:"The purpose of the state is liberty." The icosahedron is according to the artist symbol for Spinoza: the universe as a model, cut by the human mind.