Vredespaleis, The Hague

The Carnegie Foundation
has asked me to make a proposal for a work of art for the entrance area of the new library and academy building of the Peace Palace in The Hague.
The Peace Palace was build at the beginning of the 20th century as the home of the international Court of Justice, the highest judicial body of the United Nations, the Permanent Court of Arbitration and a library.
At the time many countries donated works of art and decorative art for different parts of the building, thus the building houses an impressive collection of artefacts. A visit to the Peace Palace gives insight in the state of the art of the decorative arts a hundred years ago.
Since 1923, the Peace Palace houses the Academy of International Law of The Hague, where students from all over the world come to study. The Academy has outgrown its old space, therefore will be replaced by a new bigger wing, designed by Wilford Schupp Architects. A large transparent reading room connects the new academy-building with the historic library, at 3,5 meters above the ground.
The location for the artwork is on the left hand side of the Peace Palace, in an open space between the historic and new building, just in front of the raised reading room.