Homunculus loxodontus

Statue by Margriet van Breevoort

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Homunculus Loxodontus

Artist| Margriet van Breevoort [nl]
Year| 2016 (2016)
Location| Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands

Homunculus Loxodontus (nicknamed Zhdun, "The One Who Waits", Snorp, or WOSH)[1][2] is a statue by Dutch artist Margriet van Breevoort [nl]. It was made for the Leiden University Medical Center and installed in the spring of 2016.[3] It became popular in post-Soviet countries where it is called Ждун (Russian informal term for "one who waits").[4]

## Composition

[edit]

The sculpture depicts a legless, gray creature with the head of a northern elephant seal, a larval body, and human arms clasped together in front of it. It sits on a waiting room chair, and, according to the sculptor, the figure symbolizes the emotions of people who wait at the doctor's office.[3][5] The sculpture is made of plastic and epoxy resin, which, when mixed, form a clay-like substance that feels hard and rough to the touch.[6]

## History

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In May 2016, the figure was installed in front of the children's hospital at the Leiden University Medical Center,[7] but as of February 2017 is now displayed alongside other works of art inside the medical center.[8][9]

The Leiden University Medical Center originally awarded artist Margriet van Breevoort [nl] a grant to create the sculpture for an annual art competition held by the Leiden Sculpture Foundation,[10] where the sculptural theme for 2016 competition was biological sciences.[11] Brevoort did not want to depict something related to the grim side of medicine or disease, and instead focused on the patients, ordinary people waiting to see a doctor for a diagnosis.[12] According to her, the sculpture meant to convey the message that "you should calmly wait for diagnosis with hope for the best", and was intended to look humorous, but also cute and huggable.[12]

In 2016, the sculpture was named the most photographed attraction in Leiden.[13]

## Internet meme

[edit]

After being posted on the social network Pikabu in 2017,[3][14] the sculpture (renamed Zhdun, or "Awaiter") became an Internet meme in a number of Eastern European countries, e.g. Russia and Ukraine, in which it is edited into famous paintings, photographs, videos, and other visual media.[3][15][16] Models have been photographed in locales including an empty seat in the Ukrainian Parliament.[2][4]

CD Land, a media company, bought the Russian media rights for five years starting in 2017.[17]

The cover of the 2021 album Sand by Belgian indie pop-rock band Balthazar features Zhdun.[18]

## Monuments

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In Chita (Russia), a copy of Zhdun's sculpture was installed on the retro site of the House of Officers Park.[19]

## See also

[edit]

* Stoned Fox

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Zhdun / Snorp". 2 February 2017.
2. ^ a b "Meet Zhdun, the tubby gray blob who's at home on Russian social media", The World, March 1, 2017, retrieved 2020-01-17
3. ^ a b c d "Автор Ждуна: эта скульптура изменила мою жизнь" (in Russian). BBC. 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
4. ^ a b Sharkov, Damien (February 24, 2017), "How a Gray Blob Ended Up Addressing Ukraine's Parliament", Newsweek, retrieved 2020-04-14
5. ^ "«Россияне узнают в нём себя»".
6. ^ Филатова, Инесса (2017-02-09). "Скульптура, ставшая мемом. «АиФ» навестил Ждуна". AiF (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-10-18.
7. ^ "Sculptures in Leiden exhibition is intriguing and endearing". Leiden University. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
8. ^ LUMC. "Homunculus Loxodontus nu te zien in LUMC | LUMC". www.lumc.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-10-17.
9. ^ "Z@: Как Найти Ждуна или свежие фотки Ждуна и его соседей". Z@. 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
10. ^ "Автор Ждуна: эта скульптура изменила мою жизнь". BBC News Русская служба (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-10-17.
11. ^ Филатова, Инесса (2017-02-09). "Скульптура, ставшая мемом. «АиФ» навестил Ждуна". AiF (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-10-17.
12. ^ a b "Автор "Ждуна" Маргрит ван Брифорт: Россияне узнают в нём себя. У вас с ним один менталитет: всегда чего-то ждёте". klops.ru (in Russian). 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
13. ^ Leiden, LEVEN! (2016-08-11). "Homunculus Loxodontus wint publieksprijs bij Beelden in Leiden". LEVEN! Magazine (in Dutch). Retrieved 2022-10-18.
14. ^ "Кто такой Ждун? Как голландская скульптура превратилась в популярный интернет-мем". Гордон | Gordon (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-08-20.
15. ^ "Dutch hospital's monster sculpture a surprise hit in Russia". NL Times. 2017-02-06. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
16. ^ "Ждун: 20 лучших образов Homunculus Loxodontus". Cosmopolitan (in Russian). 2017-02-03. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
17. ^ "Russian Company Buys Rights to Zhdun Viral Sensation", The Moscow Times, July 6, 2017, retrieved 2020-04-14
18. ^ "Čekání na lepší časy (Balthazar)".
19. ^ "Ждун появился на ретро-площадке парка Дома офицеров в Чите". ЧИТА.ру - новости Читы (in Russian). 2017-05-17. Retrieved 2024-07-02.

## External links

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* Homunculus loxodontus on Margriet van Breevoort's website

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