Op Zoek Naar Utopia, Jan Fabre

For the first edition of Beaufort, this giant turtle by Jan Fabre was located on the sea wall of Nieuwpoort. As the statue had to brave wind and sand there, it was moved to the square in front of the Ysara Cultural Center, after thorough restauration and covered in new gold leaf. You can see the artist sitting on the back of the bronze sea turtle, gazing into the distance. As a kind of rider, Fabre is Searching For Utopia. According to him, this is what man keeps searching for all his life: Utopia. The effigy of Fabre wants to cross the sea on the back of the giant sea turtle. The turtle, situated on the "Fabreplein", which was renovated in 2018, is surrounded by a curtain of water.