Overhand Knot was reinstalled at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

One of the most iconic classics of the past was reinstalled at the museum: 'Overhand Knot' (1971) by Japanese-American sculptor Shinkichi Tajiri. You can now (re)discover this monumental sculpture in the entrance hall of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.

'Overhand Knot' might ring a bell for those who've visited or walked past the museum back in the '70s and '80s, as it used to stand on top of the corridor between the old and new building of the Stedelijk – directly visible from the Museumplein. Its new spot in the entrance hall on the Museumplein, therefore, commemorates its former glory.

For Tajiri, the knot is a statement: a clear, universal shape that can be understood by everyone. "Put a knot in the middle of the jungle, and everyone knows what it means." Despite its universal shape, the fully restored work can evoke many different, and sometimes even opposing associations; for some, it represents unity and connection, for others, it symbolizes an unsolvable problem.

Come see the work for yourself in its new context – a new context that might evoke new associations!

Photo and text above: Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

Photos above: Ryu Tajiri