MCB – Gateway to a Gateway – 2011

In November 2010 I received a commission to make a mural for the walls of the elevator section in the main lobby of the new headquarters of the Maduro & Curiëls Bank in Curaçao.

The construction of the building had started earlier that year. I created my design, based on what I could envision of the space at that time, and the drawings of the architectural firm IMD Design. This became an abstract composition of strong architectural shapes that enhance the lines and forms of the architecture. The elevators section is the gateway to the rest of the building; the second through fourth floors. I designed my mural as a gateway to emphasize this function. It also references the shapes of the arch located outside the building.

The five initial shapes I made of styrofoam, and I poured molds of them in plaster of Paris.

Once I had the molds ready, I got help from Jordan Nita, a young student of Instituto Bueno Bista, the pre-art academy of Curaçao.

It took a few months but by early July all 68 elements were made and fired. In November 2011 I could install the mural, together with Jordan Nita and mason Karel Gieterson, who has helped me with all kinds of difficult installation jobs for the last 25 years.