Tom Claassen
Tom Claassen lives and works in Breda. He studied at the ST Joost Academy in Breda. His work can be seen in many public places throughout the Netherlands; exhibits include a group of elephants along the A6 motorway (Almere exit) and his work entitled Two Incredible Sitting Black Snowmen at Schiphol Airport. His work also features in many collections including those at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and the Kröller-Müller Museum. He was awarded the Prix de Rome and the prestigious Charlotte Köhler Prize.
There is every chance you will have seen sculptures made by Tom Claassen (born 1964, Heerlen). His work can be found in many public places throughout the Netherlands. When you look at Tom Claassen’s animals, you immediately see the very essence of the animal, albeit simplified. He expands upon certain traits of character with humour and attention to detail, but his work remains a loving representation rather than a caricature. The materials used contribute towards the viewers’ experience of the animal, at times robust, smooth and hard, at others crumbling and fragile. He creates animals with character using a few simple gestures. They tower above you, as if inflated, creating a feeling of alienation. You feel insignificant next to their lofty stature, and yet they are cuddly and friendly; if you were to see them every day, you couldn’t help but get attached.