Toon Slegers

The work of sculptor Toon Slegers (1929-2004) is a good example of his oeuvre, which can be found in many places in the Netherlands. His sculptures, abstract expressionist, stand out because of their asymmetry in form, but appear to be composed in complete balance and to come from a fantasy world. The work in the patio of the Cobbenhagen Building is poetic in nature, whimsical in form but clearly inspired by natural forms. This characteristic is reinforced by the role of water, which—when frozen—can even give the sculpture a completely different appearance.

Toon Slegers was the son of a decorative painter. Self-taught, he went to work for three years with the Eindhoven sculptor Hendrik Siegers (1871-1951), where he learned the trade. He then worked for two years with his older brother Piet, the sculptor who made the sculpture at the pond in front of the Cobbenhagen Building.