Watched from above: Ghent’s newest Tower Guard.
What if we told you there is a dog placed on top of the Book Tower? Yes, a dog. Not an actual one though, a statue. How it got there is a story we reveal in our latest episode of the Book Tower series. So, you can either the video below or continue to read this blog post. Or do both, of course.
You might already be familiar with our Book Tower series. A series that was created by and that we collaborated on with Titus de Voogdt. It has been a while since our last episode, but, as usual, we focus on a topic to do with the restoration of the Book Tower. However, this time we chose not to focus on a specific person or a part of the restoration itself. This episode shines a light on a new tale in the story collection of the Book Tower. Or rather, a new character: a dog.
A dog without a name
And no, we do not keep referring to our little friend as ‘a dog’, because we are bad at remembering names. It’s simply because it has no name, nor does it have gender. Just like its spiritual father Michiel Hendryckx wants it. Of course, some time elapsed between Michiel having the idea and the actual placement of the statue. Luckily for him, he had one very valuable ally, Sylvia Van Peteghem. With her help, Michiel was able to convince the necessary people and to take care of all the red tape. After getting the final approval, the idea had to be turned into reality. That’s where Greta Van Puyenbroeck came in. With a lot of patience and attention to detail, she made sure that the statue looked exactly how Michiel envisioned it.
A familiar face
Thanks to some old pictures, Michiel and Sylvia found out that the statue looks like a fox Henry Velde once had. However, it is actually just a happy coincidence. Because the statue was actually modelled after Laika, the first living being in space. Some might also be reminded of Het Zinneke, or Zinneke Pis, in Brussels. But unlike Het Zinneke, our dog sticks to watching the city.
But in contrast with Zinneke Pis, our dog remains anonymous. Just like its maker prefers it. He looks out over the busy streets. And every once in a while someone might glance up and see our little friend. So, next time you need to fill a gap in the conversation. Ask your conversation partner: “What if I told there is a dog placed on top of the Book Tower?”
