Space Horse

Willem Lenssinck

Space Horse or Horse in Space. It begins with an imaginative sketch of an almost mechanical horse, with the stylization aligning with the zeitgeist of science fiction films like Star Wars. The most remarkable feature is the mask worn by the rider. Willem saw this mask on a local farmer sitting on a tractor. These are very special spray masks with a point at the back of the helmet, equipped with a filter against the toxic substances they spray on their farmland. The front of the helmet contains a battery with a motor and a fan to prevent the mask from fogging up. He bought the mask at the agricultural store for €500 at the time, which was a lot of money back then. It's as if those farmers are in a science fiction film without even realizing it. For them, it's just a practical tool. Because the rider is the same figure as the dancing watchman, only his shield has been changed into a satellite dish. The spear has become an antenna, essentially a first rider with a mobile phone long before it was invented. There are three versions of this sculpture. The medium size was the first, which Willem made entirely of clay himself. The large one was subsequently enlarged in Paris at Bousquet, and then the smallest version was printed. It is so far ahead of its time that it is no longer contemporary. Museums do not (yet) recognize this because they mainly look back, according to Willem.

79 x 19 cm / 117 x 47 cm / 217 x 50 cm

Bronze & Granite

1989 / 2005

Mentioned in monograph p. 134-137, 243