Gabriel Lester, 'Bambaataa', 2018

Center of The Hague: Spui - Grote Marktstraat - Kalvermarkt

Unveiling: Friday 29 June 2018, 18.00 hrs
With at 17 hrs an introductory program in Paardcafe with special guests Ionica Smeets and Gabriel Lester >> read more
Location sculpture: Grote Marktstraat (at Achter Raamstraat / near Mediamarkt)

On Friday 29 June 2018 the new sculpture Bambaataa by Gabriel Lester was added to the Sculpture Gallery in the city center of The Hague. It is a big black metal sculpture, that comes to life through the use of light.

The title Bambaataa refers to one of Gabriel Lester's idols, Afrika Bambaataa (NY, 1957), a pioneer of electro house and hiphop. In the 1980s Lester himself worked as a producer of rap music and founded the bands Definitely Def and Utile Connection. In the 1990s he performed as a freestyle spoken word artist with jazz and hiphop musicians. The title Bambaataa is also a rhythmic reference to the three shapes that form the face: "bam-baa-taa".

More about Gabriel Lester
Gabriel Lester (1972, lives and works in Amsterdam) makes architectural installations, performances and films that deal with time, space and memory. He studied at the art academies of Breda and Brussels and at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam. He continued his education in Stockholm, New York, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. His work has been on view in Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam, De Appel art centre in Amsterdam, Bonner Kunstverein and the Minsheng Museu in Shanghai. In recent years Lester contributed to the Venice, Moscow, Sydney, Istanbul, Marrakech and Sharjah (VER) Biennales and to Documenta (13) in Kassel.
gabriellester.com

The Sculpture Gallery in The Hague is a concept and design by P. Struycken. Through its permanent character and yearly commissions it offers a unique format for art in public space and offers a cross section of Dutch sculpture since 1990. Curator of The Sculpture Gallery is André Kruysen. Project supervisor on behalf of Stroom is Vincent de Boer, advisor and coordinator art and public space.

PRESS
Beelden Magazine, #1, April 2019 (in Dutch)
Beelden Magazine, #3, October 2018 (in Dutch)
Jegens & Tevens, 29 June 2018 (in Dutch)
MetropolisM.com, 29 June 2018 (in Dutch)
Den Haag Centraal, 28 June 2018 (in Dutch)

Gabriel Lester, 'Bambaataa', 2018
photo: Sander Foederer, courtesy Stroom Den Haag
Gabriel Lester, 'Bambaataa', 2018
photo: Eveline van Egdom, courtesy Stroom Den Haag
Gabriel Lester, 'Bambaataa', 2018
photo: Sander Foederer, courtesy Stroom Den Haag
Gabriel Lester, 'Bambaataa', 2018
photo: Eveline van Egdom, courtesy Stroom Den Haag
Gabriel Lester, sketch 'Bambaataa'
photo: courtesy the artist