Artwork: Kosmische eenheid, 1991

White marble 55 cm height with a base of natural stone 95 cm

Original description:
Chawki is a classical sculptor with an enormous mastery of the craft of stone carving. The surface of the stone is worked with fine chisels or polished to a glossy smooth finish. His abstract forms are clearly inspired by modern Western sculpture. However, we can also see decorative elements from the architectural tradition of his homeland Morocco. Meandering lines and Arabic characters intertwine or diverge into a spatial image.

This work was unveiled in 1991 by Mayor Ed Nijpels at De Inkom, a meeting centre for foreign workers on J.F. Kennedylaan.

It was relocated to Boeimeerpark in 2019. 

Abderrahim Chawki (Casablanca 1951, lives and works in Utrecht) grew up in Casablanca where, in the late 1960s, artists such as The Rolling Stones and Jimmy Hendrix performed. The freedom and rebellion of this Western music greatly attracted him and led him to leave Morocco at the age of sixteen. He arrived in Utrecht in 1970 via Spain and France. Initially, he earned a living by performing as a street musician and drawing. Later, he attended the art course in Monumental Design at the Academy for Fine Arts in his hometown Utrecht. Statues of him can be found in public spaces throughout the Netherlands.

The photos were taken by Jeroen van Eijndhoven.