Homomonument

The Homomonument is a big triangle organised on the Westermarkt Amsterdam. It’s framed by three pink granite triangles: The text-triangle from the monument is pointing straight to the AnnFrank House and represent there the ‘Past’. The ‘Present’ fits in the watercornertriangle, pointing straight to the Dam Square and it makes a connection to the Dam and the ‘Dam Sleepers’ in the Eighties, a sublime Amsterdam meeting-point. The ‘Future’ is the springhigh rose triangle that’s pointing to the COC in the Rozenstraat, the Actioncentre of the Homo-Movement. It’s a podium. It’s a place to fight from and for! If necessary!

The text is the most beautiful sentence in a lovely poem of Jacob Israel de Haan. This sentence is so beautiful because it’s going straight into the heart, it is intense and unlimited/immense (mateloos) and has a special meaning for homosexuals because of the Dutch connotation in the word ‘VRIENDSCHAP’ (‘friendship’) with Homo Love: “de liefde die vriendschap heet” : “the love which is named friendship”. It is also the title of a book of homo-erotic poetry by Hans Hafkamp 1979 / Bert Bakker Uitgeverij . This sentence creates a bigger time and space. It’s a very open text, it has it’s meaning for everyone on his own way, it’s clear and beautiful. It’s as the homomonument is, an open space where life is going through.

Foto’s : Menne Vellinga , Leentje van Wirdum , Karin Daan