Richard Serra’s Sea Level Artwork in Zeewolde to be Demolished and Rebuilt at a Cost of 1.2 Million Euros

Omroep FlevolandThe artwork Sea Level by Richard Serra is in poor condition

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Broadcasting Flevoland

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 13:05

The landscape artwork Sea Level in Zeewolde is being demolished and then rebuilt. The two long concrete walls are in poor condition and need to be replaced. The creator, the American artist Richard Serra, is contributing one million euros to the renovation.

Sea Level dates from 1996 and consists of two concrete walls, each 200 meters long, with which Serra late see how high the sea water would rise without dikes. “Walking along the wall, the work of art creates the oppressive feeling that you are ‘going under’, after which you slowly float up again a little further on,” according to the website Land Art.

Sea Level was for a long time the largest work of art that the minimalist Serra had created and attracts many American and Chinese tourists. But the concrete has not stood the test of time well. “When the work of art was installed, it was very beautiful and cool. But now it needs a cleaning,” said councilor Erik van de Beld van Zeewolde earlier at Broadcasting Flevoland. “There is graffiti sprayed on. That has been removed again and painted over. Now the wall is really starting to degenerate.”

A lot of money for a wall

The decision to rebuild the work of art was made last autumn, but it was unclear for a long time who would bear the costs of almost 1.2 million euros. That has now also been arranged. The artist’s studio itself pays 1 million euros, 250,000 euros more than he had already offered last fall. The province of Flevoland will pay the remaining 175,000 euros, reports Broadcasting Flevoland. Serra himself wanted the work to be rebuilt.

“It’s a lot of money for a wall,” said councilor Van de Beld. “But if we were to commission the artwork again from this artist, you would pay ten million euros. It is very famous. When you stand there, you really experience what it is like to live below sea level. If the dikes should break through, then the water would reach the top of the artwork.”

Quiet sea

This morning it was also announced that the province of Flevoland is making 225,000 euros available for the renovation of the landscape artwork. Earth Sea by Piet Slegers, a little further in Zeewolde. Earth Sea is a park in which the flat polder landscape is broken by dikes, dunes and other level differences, creating “the tranquil sea on dry land” imagined.

Bee Earth Sea The shell paths will be rebuilt and two bridges will be given a paint job. The sons of artist Piet Slegers are closely involved in the renovation. Both renovations will start this year.

2024-02-10 12:05:10


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