UNITED BUDDY BEARS SHOW - Tierpark Berlin 2020

Like last year's bear mine again represents the federal parts of Belgium with their four colours. This time its not a graphic composition, but - linking it to my paintings - showing the contours of the human body.

I've allocated the colour blue to the "state" of Bruxelles, it isn't represented by the contours of a body, but as its surface. As Bruxelles is also the capital of Europe I interpret the city, this part of the country as a virtual surface with 25 stars - it can be compared to a vibrating screen. 15 of these stars are firmly integrated into the roundel, whereas the 10 remaining, still "unfinished" stars, have not been gilded yet.

The black figure stands for the contours of my own body. As a Flemish man I consciously chose the colour black to represent Dutch-speaking Flanders, a.o. because of the heraldic animal of Flanders - a black lion. At the same time I want to warn my fellow countrymen and -women to beware of dark, threatening developments.

I want to represent the French-speaking state of Walloon through the red, female figure. The heraldic animal - a screaming cockerel - was one, but not the main reason for this decision, because symbolism on old flags can also be re-interpreted: Where red represented blood and war on the old Belgium flag it may now stand for passionate love (i.e. of the Cuisine = Belgium cooking).

I've allocated the colour yellow to the "young" state of the East Canton, and I've portrayed it by using the contours of two children's bodies. Yellow is the colour of hope! Therefore I'm hoping that the German-speaking part of Belgium with its beautiful mix of Germanic pragmatism and Romanesque generousness will be a successful example for all Europeans.

The two children and their mother that were modelling for the contours are Belgian citizens.

Monn d'Ho