We walk by it every day. Either on the way to the library, when running to class, or just when we are strolling around minding our own business. Most of the things that we see during the day, we actually do not see. Better to say, we do not notice them. One of those things is surely the upside-down beetle pierced by a 20-meter needle.

Our concentration span is much smaller than we think. We wonder what the beetle signifies, and then – a few moments later – something else comes to our mind. That is, unfortunately, how a human mind works. But, really what is the true meaning of the artwork on Ladeuze square?

We decided to ask some students to tell us what they think:

• “I don’t think it symbolizes anything; it’s just there to draw attention. Maybe I don’t get it, but I heard the guy who made it is doing all these controversial exhibitions all over the place.” (Goska Szancilo, Poland)
• “It gives an artsy touch to the whole square, the whole image with the needle and the beetle.” (Lise Smout, Belgium)
• “I really don’t know what it means. It’s a bug, it’s on a stick, I have no idea what it means.” (Maarten Wanders, The Netherlands)
• “I don’t know. Maybe… Something about nature? Related to nature.” (Ion Vidaurreta Guerin, Spain)
• “I think it’ nice. It shows contrast between the old and the new. I think it symbolizes experiments, how people explored nature in the past, but now we can read everything from the books, from the library.” (Lina Martikonyte, Lithuania)

The truth behind the story is that it was a gift to the city of Leuven by a Belgium-based artist Jan Fabre. Fabre is a well known sculptor, but also a playwright, choreographer, designer. This is not the first time he creates animal figures. In Nieuwpoort he has made a giant turtle monument, named ‘Searching for Utopia’. Similar works in the open are exhibited in Bruges. He also exhibited his works in The Louvre.

The ‘beetle-monument’ was unveiled in 2000, the year of the 575th anniversary of K.U. Leuven. The name of the work of art is the Totem. In the artist’s own words, this work symbolizes a lot of things: nature, radar for human existence and so on. The other meaning refers to a bigger collection Fabre made. He has actually made a whole collection of upside-down insects pinned on needles.

Fabre also says that he had a lot of help from professionals at K.U. Leuven without whose expertise he would have not done the job proper. Most importantly, he was roaming around Leuven a lot, looking for a perfect location for the monument. He choose the Ladeuze square because it is in front of the library and, as he claims: Totem is a tribute to knowledge, to beauty, to the poetry of existing/being.

So, next time we take a stroll around Leuven, we can tell our friends that we actually do know the true story behind this unusual work of art. We should just hope that our concentration span and our memory serves the purpose, and we do not forget it in a short while. |