TOTEM Spirit in Leuven
The jewel beetle perched on a 23-meter-high steel needle, designed by Belgian artist Jan Fabre, is a gift from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) to the city in celebration of its 575th anniversary. This modern art installation, named the “Totem,” symbolizes science and technology.
The insect itself was crafted in a Rotterdam studio, a process that took 2.5 years. Its paint was specially developed to capture the iridescent color shifts of a real scarab beetle, changing hues as you move around it. Made of polyester, the Totem is a striking and dynamic tribute to innovation.
( Source: https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/gbv9qdbg; Access date: November 2020), Photo by Aslı Tezcan
