When you step into the lobby of Blendin Bloemendaal, you are greeted by a scene that feels both still and alive. In a thicket of deer antlers stand the animals of the dunes as if they could walk away at any moment. A white deer, a fox, a pheasant, an owl. Together they tell a story about the fragile beauty of the nature surrounding the hotel.
Darwin, Sinke and Van Tongeren
The piece was created by the Haarlem based artist duo Darwin, Sinke and Van Tongeren. They are known worldwide for their extraordinary taxidermy art. Their work moves between science and emotion, between craftsmanship and poetry.
Ferry van Tongeren and Jaap Sinke once worked in advertising, but their shared fascination for animals and anatomy led them back to their true passion. Their studio in Haarlem is filled to the brim with mounted animals, tools and materials. There they create vivid works of taxidermy. Every animal they work with has died a natural death.
The artwork in Bloemendaal
The artwork in Bloemendaal feels remarkably close to home. It is an homage to the landscape that surrounds us: the Kennerduinen and the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen. A tribute to the light, the drifting sand, the quiet and the wildlife that lives here. The composition of the white deer, the fox, the pheasant and the owl seems to come straight from nature.
In the spirit of Jac. P. Thijsse, who once described these dunes with such affection, this work invites you to look more closely and feel a sense of wonder. Through his famous Verkade albums Thijsse taught generations to notice the small details of nature. A feather in the sand, a rare plant, a footprint, animals in the wild. That same wonder is present in this artwork.
Visit the Art Zoo Museum
Those who want to explore further can visit the Art Zoo Museum in Amsterdam. In one of the most beautiful canal houses of the seventeenth century, Sinke and Van Tongeren have brought their dream to life on the Herengracht. A place where animals take centre stage.
In this modern cabinet of curiosities feathers shimmer, muscles seem to tense and every animal looks as if it could come back to life at any moment. Each room is a tableau vivant, a quiet ode to nature. Art Zoo is more than a museum. It is an experience that shows how vulnerable and precious our natural world is.
Stay curious, keep exploring
After a moment of admiration for the artwork in our lobby, we invite you to look beyond. Head into the dunes, walk where Thijsse once walked and let the beauty of the landscape sink in. And plan a visit to the Art Zoo Museum, where nature in all its beauty and tragedy is celebrated.
Because the more we pay attention, the better we learn to care for the world around us.
