Foundation Art and Public Space
artist: Jaap de Jonge
located in: Freudenthal Instituut,
client: Freudenthal Instituut
Jaap de Jonge created an ingenious and interactive work for the Freudenthal Instituut (FI). The FI is an Expertisecentrum Reken- en Wiskundeonderwijs (center of expertise for arithmetical and mathematical education) and is part of the Mathematics and Computer Science Faculty at the University of Utrecht. The institute is aimed at improving the standards of teaching arithmetic and mathematics at all educational levels, especially elementary, secondary and vocational.
Jaap de Jonge
Het Oog (The Eye)
Het Oog is fixed to the exterior wall of the FI, which is located directly opposite the Overvecht station in Utrecht. It exposes the FI’s activities to the outside world and is mainly intended to introduce arithmetic and mathematics to children as being an exciting pastime. Indeed a pastime that can be learnt by almost anyone and that is of essential importance in our daily lives.
Het Oog is made up of a coarsely-woven graphic display that measures approx. 1.50m in diameter. It consists of 432 pixels and can display a large variety of visual compositions. The work is connected to the internet and continuously displays arithmetical and mathematical problems. Children who use the websites of the FI (www.fi.uu.nl/rekenweb/ (www.fi.uu.nl/wisweb/), will, along with train passengers and other passers-by, be encouraged by Het Oog to solve mathematical problems. Solutions can be emailed to the display which will immediately show the result and the staff at the FI will continue be think up new mathematical problems. In this way the work will never lose its meaning and will, instead, become a permanent ‘work in progress’. Thanks to Het Oog, arithmetic and mathematics will become part of everyday life in Utrecht.
Jaap de Jonge is active in various fields of visual arts and applied design. He is interested in using recent technical inventions in his works which are consistently user-friendly and interactive. One characteristic of De Jonge’s works is that they are all instrumental in the sense that they either do something or something can be done with them. An overview of his works can be found on his website: (www.jaapdejonge.nl).
