Tilburg has a fantastic park right in the city centre: the Spoorpark. The park, which is the largest citizens’ initiative in the Netherlands, offers plenty of opportunities for relaxation. The site is also of great significance to our museum, as it was the site of Kessels factory, where he produced more than 500,000 musical instruments. This Kessels Artwork, created by artist Tom Dubelaar, forges a link between this historic site and the Kessels Museum.
Origin
Tom Dubelaar explains: “I once made a lamp out of scrap material from the Kessels instrument workshop. People were really surprised by it, and I was then asked if I could also make a sort of plaque in the same way”. Where Spoorpark now stands, there once stood Kessels home, printing works and factory. It’s something worth pausing to reflect on – precisely because of the great significance Matthieu had for Tilburg and its residents. The idea behind this artwork was to depict this. “I set to work on it with great enthusiasm, partly because of the abundance of recycled materials available. This tells stories, brings history to life, and, once processed and arranged, takes on new meaning.”
What can you see?
The background is a photograph of the factory with its staff. Using zinc moulds – originally used to cut copper for wind instruments – he created outline drawings of the factory and the family home, featuring compositions of wooden and copper instruments and a model of a copper lathe. Tom cut portraits of Matthieu and Marietje Kessels from the copper of wind instruments. “Within the 4 cm thickness of the work, I have invited the third dimension by creating a certain volume through the form.” The text box incorporates elements from the printing past: the cover of a music booklet, pieces of sheet music from one of Kessels compositions, templates for music from his brass band booklets, and etched plates for illustrations of instruments from the catalogue. It is, in fact, an anthology of the Kessels Museum’s move to Stationsstraat. From everything that remained, Tom Dubelaar created a narrative.
“The materials used from the restoration workshop take on new meaning in the artwork once they have been processed and arranged,” says artist Tom Dubelaar. He also works as a volunteer at the Kessels Museum.
The connection to the here and now lies in the window structure and the railway track, which used to run right past the factory. On the wall, you can now look back into the past through the added windows, and you are invited to experience music. Making music yourself and listening to it; that was Kessels’ invitation, for which he also provided the resources. Now, the Kessels Artwork also serves as an invitation to visit the Kessels Museum.
Location of the Kessels artwork:
Spoorpark, Tilburg – entrance via St Ceciliastraat. You’ll find the artwork on the wall of the yellow Spoorpark building on the park side.
