Planetariummonetarium - Serge Onnen
Serge Onnen, born in the Netherlands in 1965, is an Amsterdam-based artist. His sculpture, originally titled "Huygens’s Helmet" and later renamed "Planetariummonetarium," was created in 2009 during the Dutch settlement's Quadricentennial celebration. Crafted from welded metal, PVC pipe, and Structolite, the work was funded by FONDS BRVB and the Mondriaan Foundation.
Inspired by 16th-century scientist Christiaan Huygens, known for his work in optics and astronomy, Onnen’s piece metaphorically links Huygens’s wave theory with global economics. Pennies from around the world line the interior, symbolizing how economic waves, like Huygens’s wavelets, ripple through global finance. The kaleidoscopic drawings within the sculpture represent the shifting perceptions shaped by these economic forces. A key feature is the Teleidoscope, which variably points at Indian Point, reflecting on nuclear power's economic impact, and the Hudson River, whose unique bidirectional flow mirrors life’s constant, non-linear changes.
Note: This artwork was recently refurbished by the artist.
