Pindakaasvloer Terug in Rotterdam: Eerbetoon aan Wim T. Schippers

Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam will reinstall Wim T. Schippers’ peanut butter floor next month as a tribute to the artist, who died last week at age 83. According to museum spokesperson René Timmermans, the installation serves as a way to honor Schippers’ unique approach to art.

Why is the peanut butter floor returning to the museum?

The museum is rebuilding the floor to honor Schippers following his recent death. Spokesperson René Timmermans told Rijnmond that this is the “most beautiful way” to pay tribute to the creator.

Sandra Kisters, the acting director of the museum, stated that the institution will miss Schippers for his versatility, humor, and “eigenzinnigheid” (willfulness). According to Kisters, Schippers used art to make people think without being overly serious or gloomy.

Did You Know? The peanut butter artwork first appeared in a gallery in 1969 before being acquired by the Rotterdam museum in 2010.

What are the specifications of the new installation?

The upcoming installation will not be an exact replica of the 2010 version, which required hundreds of kilograms of peanut butter. Timmermans noted that because Schippers believed in showing work in different ways each time, a precise replica would be “illogical.”

The floor will be “masoned” within a frame of a size determined by the museum using a brand of peanut butter of their choice. Based on previous conversations with the artist, the museum confirmed the floor may be laid in any shape and must use smooth peanut butter without chunks.

Expert Insight: Samantha Carter suggests that the decision to avoid a replica reflects the core of Schippers’ philosophy—that art, like life, is nonsensical and should not necessarily make sense. By varying the form and texture, the museum maintains the conceptual integrity of the work rather than treating it as a static monument.

Who was Wim T. Schippers?

Beyond his work as an artist, Schippers was widely known to the public as a voice actor. He provided the Dutch voices for Ernie, Count von Count, and Kermit the Frog on Sesamstraat.

Nieuw in Boijmans: de pindakaasvloer van Wim T. Schippers

His professional career also included roles as a presenter and program maker. He maintained a philosophy that art was as nonsensical as life itself and did not need to be logical to be worthwhile.

What happens next for the exhibit?

The exact date for the floor’s completion and the length of its display remain undecided. Timmermans stated that museum officials are still discussing these details.

The final dimensions and specific shape of the floor could be finalized as the installation progresses next month.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will the peanut butter floor return?
The floor is scheduled to return to Museum Boijmans van Beuningen next month.

Will the new floor be the same as the 2010 version?
No. According to spokesperson René Timmermans, it will not be an exact replica because the artist’s intent was to present the work differently each time.

What specific type of peanut butter will be used?
The museum will use smooth peanut butter without chunks, a detail based on previous discussions with Schippers.

Do you think art should follow a strict set of rules, or is the “nonsensical” approach more effective at making people think?