De Bron (The Source)

Modelling clay, bronze and his unbridled fantasy. That's all the Belgian Philip Aguirre y Otegui (born 1961) needed to create ’De Bron’. You'll find his playful sculpture right in front of the BMCC (Bruges Meeting and Convention Centre) on Beursplein. By first modelling the sculpture and then casting it in bronze, the artist lent his work tactility and humanity. The green patina is in contrast with the brownish red of the BMCC. The tubs, stacked irregularly, allow the water to flow richly. Water as a source of life. But also: the spring as a poetic symbol of encounter. At a source, that's where you arrange to meet. Children come to play there. Older people look on and reminisce. Exactly what Beursplein aims to be: a contemporary meeting place in West Bruges.