Henri Van Herwegen (1940 – 2019), known by the pseudonym Panamarenko, was a prominent assemblagist Belgian sculptor. Famous for his work with aeroplanes as theme; none of which are able nor constructed to actually leave the ground.
Panamarenko was born in Antwerp, where he studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts from 1955 to 1960. Before 1968, his art was inspired by pop-art, but early on he became interested in aeroplanes and human powered flight. This interest is also reflected in his name, which supposedly is an acronym for "Pan American Airlines and Company". The name Panamarenko may also be influenced by Panteleimon Ponomarenko, a politician-ambassador from the former Soviet Union.
Starting in 1970, he developed his first models of imaginary vehicles, aeroplanes, balloons or helicopters, in original and surprising appearances. Many of his sculptures are modern variants of the myth of Icarus. The question of whether his creations can actually fly is part of their mystery and appeal. His airship The Aeromodeller (1980) is a major exhibit at MSK Ghent.
At the opening of a large-scale overview exhibition of his work in Brussels in 2005, Panamarenko announced his retirement as an artist. Following his stated retirement from creating visual art he promoted his own coffee brand PanamaJumbo. On 24 April 2009, VLM Airlines based in Antwerp, Belgium named one of its Fokker 50 aircraft in his honor. Panamarenko received two honorary doctorates: In 2010 at the University of Hasselt and in 2014 at the University of Mons. While retired, Panamarenko created the Waving Crabs, a series of fountains sprayed by crab figures on three stainless-steel half bowl shaped islands situated in the Zegemeer, a large pond at Knokke-Heist. He inaugurated it on 7 October 2011 stating the idea dated from 1975.
In July 2020 a graffiti artwork was made dedicated to him, opposite his former atelier.
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| Panamarenko |
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Flying object (rocket) 1969
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| The Aeromodeller 1969-71 |
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| Ran's Variable Matrix 1970 |
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| Aeromodeler 1971 |
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| Polistes 1974 |
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| Paradox 1980-86 |
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| Encarsia-Formosa 1987 |
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| Knikkebeen 1994 |
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| Nova Zembla 1996 |
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| Scotch Gambit 2000 |
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| Scotch Gambit 2000 |
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| Raven (multiple AP IV V) 2001 |
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| Bing of the Ferro Lusto (model) 2002 |
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Duckbill: small magnus kite 2002
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| Donnariet 2003 |
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| Donnariet 2003 |
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Het eiland 2004
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Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
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| Exhibition view, 2014 Panamarenko-Universum Show |
Wow! I would have loved to spend some time in Panamarenko's atelier! I create tiny machines and characters that populate worlds unlike his Universum... magnificent statements of intense aliveness!
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