Elephant Hansken returns to Czechia after 400 years – this time in metal
Four hundred years ago, the elephant Hansken was a European attraction that also visited the town of Mladá Boleslav. Today, in the same place, a metal sculpture of her has been created as part of the 13th edition of the Metal Symposium, which once again brought several international artists to the city.
A female Indian elephant originating from Ceylon named Hansken was one of the greatest European sensations in the 1630s. She was originally purchased by the Dutch merchant Cornelius van Groeneweld and then travelled through much of Europe, from Hamburg to Rome. At each stop she performed special tricks such as fencing with a sword or bowing.
One of her stops was also the Central Bohemian town of Mladá Boleslav, where she symbolically returned this year. In the first half of June, the town – today best known mainly for the Škoda Auto factory – hosted the 13th edition of a Metal Symposium. The Australian artist Matt Hill also took part, and decided to pay tribute to the elephant in his work.
„I’m using 1.5 mm corten steel. Because it’s corten steel, once it is finished we will spray it with acid and then over time it will create a natural, rusted patina. I think it will roughly be about 250 kg.“
According to the artist, its final height will be around 2.5 meters and, once completed, it will be put on display in the city center.
„The elephant was drawn with computer software and I use a folding machine, which is very slow and monotonous. Then it is MIG welded together and then face welded with a tube welder, so it is a very slow process. “
The Metal Symposium in Mladá Boleslav was also attended by the Argentine artist Tomas Schinelli.
“I was here two years ago, and back then I made a Czech lion. When they invited me this time, they asked me to make a dragon because it is something I do a lot in Argentina. It is not any special kind of dragon, just something I designed. But it is a very clear expression of my work.”
The dragon sculpture is to be eventually placed in front of the Secondary Industrial School, on whose premises the Metal Symposium took place.
According to the organizer of the symposium Gérard Keijsper this 13th edition also brought one new feature.
“We had a work from the Mšeno Elementary Art School. Six students aged between 10 and 16 and their instructor jointly created one sculpture. The topic was insects, and this year children chose bees.”
Sculptures created during the Metal Symposium will once again be installed in various locations around the city, thereby expanding the unique Mladá Boleslav gallery in public space.
Over the past years and across the 13 editions of the symposium, a total of 65 artists from 30 countries around the world have participated. Overall they created 60 metal works, 20 wooden works, and 7 street art pieces.
