At the corner of the Potter Street and Bos Street behind it was formerly the Market Square. This place is reminiscent of a period when flax was an important raw material for the production of linen and rope, and when trade and craft defined the streetscape. The image you see here refers to that history and keeps the story of flax processing alive.

Sculptor Kees Warmoeskerken For this artwork, he drew inspiration from the traditional work of the flax binder. His initial design was ambitious: he intended to combine the binding of the flax with a water feature, where a fountain would represent the bundle of flax. However, due to high maintenance costs, this idea was not realised. Instead, Warmoeskerken opted for a timeless and powerful representation of the craft itself.

To make the work as authentic as possible, the artist travelled several times to Koewacht in Dutch Zeeland, the only region in the Netherlands where flax cultivation is still visibly present. There he observed the work in the fields and spoke with farmers from the area. One of them served as the model for the final sketch of the statue.

Binder is not done sitting down, but kneeling. After the stalks have been carefully gathered, the flax binder pulls the bundle upwards. It is precisely this moment – the completion of the heavy manual labour – that forms the starting point of the artwork. The artwork was cast by Lon Vermunt and forms a tangible reminder of a craft that was once intrinsically linked to this part of the city.

More information about this image and the other images in our city can be found at KidOR, Stichting Kunst in de PublicSpace.

This image is part of a walking route.