Heerlen lights up: Neon artwork Chaim van Luit unveiled in Plaarstraat
Since Aug. 16, Heerlen-Centre has gained a striking work of art. In the Plaarstraat, the permanent neon artwork Op Handen Dragen was unveiled: a creation of visual artist Chaim van Luit from Heerlen. The work was inspired by prehistoric hand stencils from Cueva de los Manos in Argentina. It adorns the De Putgraaf parking garage, connecting the past and future in a powerful gesture. The artwork can be admired every evening, from dusk to midnight.
Alderman Jordy Clemens, culture and heritage: "Alleys like the Plaarstraat are important for our city, they connect streets and people. From now on, this connection is very visible to everyone in a way that we can only do in Heerlen: with a striking and special work that we can be proud of together."
The opening takes place as part of the Heritage Year in which Heerlen is re-examining its history and identity.
Time, identity and traces in the city
Op Handen Dragen shows a series of luminous hands: a contemporary translation of one of the oldest visual stories in the world. Artist Chaim van Luit, who grew up in Heerlen, is known for his work on traces of human and animal activity.
"The hand is one of the oldest and most direct forms of communication," says Van Luit. "In this work, I want to show how something ancient can still speak to today's imagination."
Art outside the museum walls
Op Handen Dragen is realized by the municipality of Heerlen in close cooperation with SCHUNCK Museum and with the involvement of Q-Park, building owner VOC Jongen and Mathieu Bruls architect. The artwork is also part of Artbase, a pilot program of the Mondriaan Fund in which SCHUNCK investigates how art can be visible and meaningful outside the museum.
Fabian de Kloe, artistic director at SCHUNCK: "This work shows what happens when you give art a permanent place in public space. It touches on identity, history and imagination, all in a form that passersby literally encounter on the street."