Fons Schobbers

Born 27-9-1947 in Venlo.
He was the 9th of 10 children of Harry and Cato Schobbers. His father was a businessman, grain merchant. Arts was not the obvious choice. Eventually Fons chose to be educated at the Academy for Industrial Design. He stood out for his self-will and creativity. In 1971 he graduated.

Since his childhood he was a creator, a builder. He chose freedom, no job, no collateral, but for time, he was his own creation and design ideas. It is 1974. A few hours per week he is Professor visual arts at the Vrije Academie in Venlo. Day and night, as if he had to catch up lost time, he painted and sculpts. Great examples and sources of inspiration were Picasso, Moore, Arp, Brancusi, Calder. In 1977 he married Liesbeth and in 1980 they had a daughter Jobke. Fons has developed steadily as an oaktree, slow, high and wide with huge roots growing in depth ....

In the Netherlands, he was increasingly invited by famous galleries to exhibit, including;
The High Hees, Eersel
Inter-Art Heeswijk-Dinther
Michel Knops Sittard
Delta Art Nijmegen
Gallery Spring scale
Gallery turn Amsterdam
Galerie Elisabeth de Haas Biemans Amsterdam
Berlage "Art Affairs Amsterdam
Galerie Witteveen Amsterdam
Solo exhibition at the Singer Museum in Laren.
He spent several long periods in Italy, where he worked among others in the famous studios of Henraux, where Henry Moore worked. Together with Liesbeth he often returned to Italy, to marble and tools to buy. They also travel a lot, especially to be inspired by the ancient history and ethnographic objects from five, which both fascinates. Travel to include India, Indonesia, West Papua, Australia, Thailand, Flores, Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala, Morocco, Egypt and many tours in Europe.

Exhibitions abroad;
Ken's Art Gallery Florence Italy
Avg. Museum Carrara Italy
Villa Angel Heart Düsseldorf Germany
Art Diffusion Düsseldorf Germany
Showroom Prinz Regent Straße Munich Germany
Art Salon Fuglelund Lojt Denmark
ART "exhibition" New York USA
Point Galery Milwaukee USA.


Sculptures included in collections;

Shell Amsterdam
DSM Heerlen
Academic Hospital Groningen
In various municipalities including Venlo, Venray, Son en Breughel,
Castle Gardens Arcen
Antares Venlo
Scheuten Glass Venlo
Nedap Groenlo
Kusters Engineering Venlo
Sparkasse Ratingen
Hartman Wuppertal "
Brick Stein Dortmund
Avg. Carrara Italy
De Nederlandsche Bank
Central Bank Canberra Australia
Central Bank Beijing China
Flora Holland
Rabobank Venlo
Sabic Europe Head Office Sittard

The sculptures for the Dutch bank are exceptional. They are 6 sculptures, made of the Dutch guilder banknotes, (10,25,50,100,250 and 1000 guilders). Thus, each sculpture the color of the denomination of which it is made. The notes are fragmented. Fons has to pressed plates, these plates glued to blocks and these blocks are the sculpted. A total of 2.5 billion guilders fragmented ... ..
The sculptures are all high and 1 meter in the main building of the Bank in Amsterdam.

Since 1982 a large portion of the former Marienthal monastery in Venlo has been in possesion of Schobbers. Here he held various workshops. There are 2 chapels, one of which also serves as workshop and another chapel with a cross gallery for the permanent exhibition of his work. Also he lives here, together with Liesbeth, she leads the gallery since 1976 and his muse ... ..

INFORMATION TRIBE SCULPTURES FONS SCHOBBERS

On Wednesday, June 10 2009 two monumental sculptures (9.5 m) were revealed by Mr Jos Hessels, Member of Executive Council of the Province of Limburg, Mr. Mark Verheijen, Alderman economic and financial affairs of the municipality of Venlo, and Mr. Will Lormans, president of association BOV.

The sculptures were created by the artist Fons Schobbers who named the sculptures "TRIBE". Fons: "My idea in developing this sculpture was the that I see as a business park as a TRIBE, were you trade and produce. The fact that the former "Veegtes" is the oldest business in Venlo, inspired me to create this sculpture and name it. I am very interested in ethnography, the symbolism and imagery are a constant source of inspiration for me. Therefore, I have traveled extensively including to the Asmat area in West Papua and Flores in Indonesia. "

The two monumental sculptures are powerful and have a expressive form. The modeling is firm and clear, "anchored with your feet in clay" The shape is visible at a glance. The sculptures are made of Corten steel and can be seen at the corner LJCosterstraat-Nijmeegseweg and Nijmeegseweg Hakke Street in Venlo. They act as "landmarks" and highlight the two main entrances to Businesspark Noorderpoort. This is a very unique project in Limburg, there is no other businesspark that presents itself in monumental art.

During the Exhibition, on 13-14 June, you can view a short film about the placement of the sculptures 'TRIBE' as well as a base model and the small replica of it. But also new work by Fons: large sculptures in different materials, porseleintotems and some masks