Jan Schoonhoven. Zero Top Hat

used during the Zero Fest in Dusseldorf, 1989. Handmade oversized black cardboard cylinder (diameter 32.5 cm, height 50 cm), mounted in two parts. Signed by Schoonhoven, with engraving 'J.J. Schoonhoven' at the base. Very well-preserved.

In 1964, the Zero group participated in the Dusseldorf Carnival parade with a Zero float. Its members were dressed entirely in black, with white zeros on their outfits, faces painted white, and wearing self-made outsized top hats. In 1989 the performance was repeated at the Zero Festival organized by Galerie Schoeller in Dusseldorf. These hats were also assembled by hand (by Piene, Schoeller and students), though considerably taller and narrower than the 1964 version. Ref: Heiner Stachelhaus, Zero Dusseldorf 1993, pp 41, 42, 51. The reference book is included in this lot. (total 2)