Ans Zondag

Netherlands, 1959
Sculptures
When she arrived in southern Spain, she was immediately struck by the beauty and elegance of Andalusian horses. Ans established contact with the gypsies – and there in their small riding schools (picadors) – she started making small horse statues. She produced dozens of plastic sculptures directly on location. While the gypsies made their horses dance, Ans made her images.
Later she devoted herself to a wide variety of animals, including bulls, goats, cows, rhinos, hedgehogs, elephants, birds, and so on. But whatever animal Ans makes, she prefers to work directly surrounded by them. She believes that a more direct exchange takes place between the animal and the image. The result of this collaboration is a very sensitive image; fragile and tender or strong and powerful, but always lively and clearly present.
“By working surrounded by animals, a more direct exchange takes place between the animal and the image.”
