Prijspenning van de Vereeniging voor Volksvermaken te Groningen (1922) 1922

This is a prize medal made by Chris van der Hoef in 1922, probably in bronze. It has two sides, one showing the city and one with an inscription. The city side has got this amazing tower and buildings rendered with such detail. It's like each tiny line contributes to the whole scene, creating a world in miniature. It makes you wonder how he achieved such precision, especially when you consider the material itself and how unforgiving it can be. The lines are almost like tiny brushstrokes in a painting, and, like a painting, the physical handling of the material brings its own liveliness to the image. I love the way the design sort of spills over the edges, and I’m put in mind of some paintings by Kirchner or Heckel, those German expressionists. I think what's important is that the image doesn't get caught up in representation, and instead it offers us something more ambiguous, more interesting to think about.