It appears that a New Year’s Eve stunt has been pulled off with the TT artworks in Rolde, Grolloo, Borger, Hooghalen, Schoonloo and Assen. The statues have disappeared from their pedestals, a rebus puzzle has taken their place.
Elina van Zanten went to investigate this morning when the statue in front of her café in Schoonloo was gone. She already suspected that a New Year’s Eve stunt was planned when young people took a look at the statue last Tuesday evening.
“A white car turned very slowly on the dam near us in the evening,” says Van Zanten. Reason enough to take stock, so she went outside in her onesie with the dog. “I asked, ‘What do you do?’ They said they were just looking around.”
“They were really young boys,” she says. Two of them were under the TT statue of Valentino Rossi, of which Van Zanten is the manager. “They were shocked by my presence and quickly went to discuss something with the driver of the white car. Everything was okay, they let me know.”
Van Zanten returned home a little suspiciously, with the license plate number written down. She shared her findings with a fellow villager who texted her early this morning with the message: ‘Your hunch was correct, the work of art has disappeared’.
Van Zanten appreciates the stunt. As soon as she saw that the statue in Schoonloo was gone, she got in the car to see what happened to the other statues. Everywhere the artwork appeared to have been replaced by a rebus. “I think it’s hilarious,” she laughs.
She has a suspicion who is behind it. “I think it is the New Year’s Eve club De Oliebol from Vledder.” She is not worried about the images. “I know they handle things carefully.”
Jens van der Helm of De Oliebol says he does not want to say that the stunt was their fault. But: “The idea is always to make a funny joke.” Only on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day will we know which association has replaced the statues for the rebus puzzle.
Van Zanten is not concerned with solving the puzzle: “I will soon start preparing for Christmas.”
Want to get started with the rebus yourself? Check out the photos below to find a solution. Text then continues: