Panamarenko - MACHINES THAT WALK - 1980s

Offset printed on 250gsm high-quality paper.
Copyright Panamarenko Foundation, SABAM Belgium
Top right, signed with a black marker on the plate.

Panamarenko, the pseudonym of Henri Van Herwegen, was born on February 5, 1940, in Antwerp and died on December 14, 2019. He was a prominent Belgian assemblage artist and sculptor, best known for his sculptures inspired by airplanes and other vehicles. His works, such as airplanes, hot air balloons, and helicopters, are often modern interpretations of the myth of Icarus, blending art with technology and imagination.

Panamarenko studied from 1955 to 1960 at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Initially, his work was influenced by pop art, but from 1968 onwards, he focused on designing imaginary vehicles. His creations are made from materials such as tape, wood, plastic, glue, string, rubber tires, and copper, often referencing birds, insects, and fish.

In 2003, Panamarenko married Eveline Hoorens. During the opening of a large-scale retrospective exhibition of his work in Brussels in 2005, he announced his retirement as an artist. After his retirement, he launched his own coffee brand, PanamaJumbo. In 2009, VLM Airlines honored him by naming one of their Fokker 50 aircraft after him.

The work of Panamarenko is included in the collections of all major museums in Belgium. In 2002, he donated his parental house in Antwerp to the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (MuHKA).

Their innovative and poetic approach to art remains a source of inspiration and admiration within the contemporary art world.