Illustration Design student installs mystery statue in Zwolle

Illustration Design student Ite Hamming (year 4) has attracted media attention with a striking artwork in the public space of Zwolle. On Sunday morning, 18 January, he independently installed a new statue on Spinhuisplein, next to Theatre De Spiegel.

The work is a direct response to the disappearance of Kees the dog, the large French bulldog by artist Norbertus that had stood outside the theatre restaurant since 2014. After someone sat on the statue and caused damage, the theatre decided to remove the work in 2025.

With this new monument, Hamming shifts the focus to the person who caused the damage. He places the work within a broader Dutch tradition of public monuments, in which controversial historical figures, despite their violent pasts, remain on their pedestals because they are considered part of our shared history.

By extending this line of thinking, he gives the unknown vandal a place in the history of Spinhuisplein. Since 18 January, this has resulted in a new monument in Zwolle: a statue featuring a new ‘criminal on the pedestal’.

Hamming’s work has attracted national attention and was covered by, among others, NOS and RTV Oost. The piece raises questions about vandalism, remembrance and who we choose to give a platform to in public space.