Het ei van Ko, Architectural structure in central Enschede, Netherlands
Het ei van Ko is a flat sculptural installation featuring overlapping elliptical shapes positioned in front of Enschede City Hall. A bronze family group with a man, woman, child, and dog is positioned beside a water basin within this oval framework.
The work was installed in 1984 and named by local residents after Mayor Ko Wierenga. The municipality officially refers to it by the name De familie, which reflects how public artworks sometimes carry both popular and official designations.
The sculpture group reflects local life through its depiction of an ordinary family and their pet. This everyday subject matter shows how the artwork speaks to residents' daily experiences and connections in the city center.
The work sits on Langestraat directly in front of City Hall and is easily accessible on foot. The surrounding area is regularly maintained as part of ongoing city center upkeep, keeping the site open and walkable year-round.
The bronze dog in the family group was modeled after sculptor Joop Hekman's own Chow Chow. This personal biographical detail adds an intimate human touch to what might otherwise feel like an anonymous public monument.
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