70 years SCK CEN: a work of art by Nick Ervinck

24 May '22

The new sculpture by Nick Ervinck (OLEALDIM), which he created for the 70th anniversary of SCK CEN, the nuclear research centre in Mol, is thought-provoking and will surely intrigue both artists and scientists! The relentless and eternal quest for the core of things! A wonderful confrontation with the structure of atoms and electrons that surround and pass through us!

A new start

For centuries, artists and scientists have been captivated by images representing the deepest of depths, but at the same time also implying layers of distance and protection. Looking through the material to see what is inside has long been the desire of Nick Ervinck, an artist who loves to have your gaze absorbed in and by sculptures, to make you feel what lies beneath the surface of people and things.

Yellow is the colour of optimism and the colour of every new start. This choice is extremely suitable for SCK CEN, considering the extensive knowledge it has built. How special is it that you can feel that today, after 70 years, there is still so much to discover! This is the reason why this celebration is very much like a new start! To be able to make the greatest possible difference with one of the smallest elements on earth – the atom – for the highest possible number of people worldwide, this is a dream that has been turned into a reality for 70 years.