Dutch museum covers floor in peanut butter to honor late artist

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam reopened the "Peanut Butter Floor," an iconic conceptual artwork, as a tribute to its creator Wim T. Schippers, who died June 10.boijmans+1
The installation uses 390 kilos of smooth peanut butter spread across a 25-square-meter hexagon, following Schippers' original 1969 instructions for the work.boijmans+1
The tribute opened Wednesday at the museum's Depot and runs through Sept. 6, according to the AP, at the world's first publicly accessible art storage facility.ctpost+1

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam has recreated one of the most eccentric works in Dutch contemporary art — a floor covered entirely in smooth peanut butter — as a tribute to conceptual artist Wim T. Schippers, who died on June 10 in Amsterdam at age 83.express+1

A Sticky Tribute

More than 800 pounds of Calvé peanut butter have been spread across a hexagon measuring 25 square meters at the museum's Depot, the world's first publicly accessible art storage facility. The exhibition, titled "Peanut Butter Floor," opened on July 9 and will remain on view through September 6.boijmans+2

According to the Associated Press, the quantity used is enough for roughly 15,000 peanut butter sandwiches. Per Schippers' original instructions, the peanut butter must be spread to a thickness of two centimeters and cannot contain pieces — only smooth varieties are permitted. Beyond those specifications, the museum was free to choose the work's size and shape.dutchnews+1

An Absurdist Legacy

Schippers originally created the "Pindakaasvloer" in 1969 as part of his Floor Covering Series. It has been recreated several times since, including in 2011, when multiple visitors accidentally stepped on the work. The piece exists as a concept in the museum's collection, meaning it can be re-spread whenever the institution chooses to display it.dutchnews+2

Schippers was known for his absurdist approach to art and media. Beyond his visual work, he voiced the character of Ernie on the Dutch version of Sesame Street and had a long career in television.express+1

A Conceptual Work, Renewed

The recreation underscores the nature of conceptual art itself — the work is not a preserved object but a set of instructions that can be executed anew. Each iteration is both the original and something entirely fresh, a fitting memorial for an artist whose career was defined by challenging expectations of what art could be.

The tribute can be visited at Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam's Museumpark through early September.boijmans

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