Dora Dolz’ chairs

On one of my walks through Rotterdam I noticed two colorful ceramic chairs on the ‘s Gravendijkwal. They reminded me of a bench I’d seen before in the Zocherpark and a chair on the Heemraadssingel. (near Coolhaven) This triggered me to some research. This is what I found out.

The chairs were made by Dora Dolz (1941 – 2008). She was a visual artist who was born in Barcelona in 1941, but lived most of her life (since 1965) in Rotterdam. Birth, life, suffering and death are major themes of her flamboyant, colorful paintings, ceramics, glass and carpets.

Initially she was working on still lifes. She got more well known, however, by her large size ceramic chaise-longues. She got even more famous in the Netherlands when her daughter Sonja Herman Dolz, a director, made  a documentary about her work.
In the film she told that she did not really like Northern Europe actually: “The people were nicer to dogs than to children.” Yet she made herself at home here and benefit from the possibilies she was given as an artist. Late January 2008, shortly before her death, she was awarded the Wolfert van Borselenpenning by the city council of Rotterdam.

The Wolfert van Borselenpenning is a silver medal that  is named after the nobleman and founder of Rotterdam, Wolfert van Borselen. (1250-1299) It is presented to individuals who have developed activities in various fields in favour of the Rotterdam society.

The two pieces of art I saw on the ‘s Gravendijkwal  are there since Autumn 2009. They were placed there after many efforts of residents to improve the neighbourhood.