In memory of the walnut works of Wim T. Schippers
In a tribute to the late Wim T. Schippers, who died on June 10, 2026, the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam has recreated one of the works of the artist – a delight peanut butter hexagon on the floor of his warehouse. For those wondering how the museum got so much publicity to bring the piece to life, it states that it was a donation from Calvé, noting that “This brand was the preferred choice of Wim T. Schippers. As he put it: “Because it spreads so beautifully.” (1)
Wim T. Schippers, Peanut Butter Floor, 1962, at the Depot of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen | all photos from Raaf Blanker 2026
We butter a second time
Covering an area of 25m² and made from 390kg (super smooth, not thick) peanut butter, the installation was smeared and laid out in a hexagonal frame on the Depot floor. This nutty creation isn’t the first time the track has been featured. in 2011, Peanut butter floor (or Peanut butter floor in Dutch) was originally installed in the same space. Its construction follows a set of recent instructions left by the artist before he died: “15.6 kg of smooth (not thick) peanut butter per m² is required, no one should stand or lie on the floor with the peanut butter, the peanut butter should be applied as smoothly and evenly as possible, and the work should not be approached with an educational purpose.
The piece is undoubtedly delicious. During installation, two aptly compiled “peanut butter plasterers” he was at work emptying tub after tub onto the floor, smoothing it with the broad knives commonly used for plastering walls. During the smoothing and pushing, one of the plasterers licks a bit off his fingers like a baker testing his creation. Although those with allergies are advised to stay away from the installation, others struck by a wave of nostalgia for the childhood snack can grab a sandwich during the exhibition at the museum’s restaurant, Renilde.
two aptly named “peanut butter plasterers” were on the job emptying tub after tub onto the floor
A difficult situation in 2011
Spread out on the floor without guardrails, visitors can experience Schippers’ gooey masterpiece up close. When it was installed in 2011, about a year after the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum acquired it in 2010, the piece appeared in a significantly larger form, weighing 700 kilograms of peanut butter. (2) In that iteration, it was called the Platform with peanut butterand four guests were found to have accidentally stepped on the creamy creation. (3)
Next to this version was a system called the Post Peanut Butterin which visitors could record themselves asking Schippers questions, which he would answer. About 650 questions were sent to the artist. They included his ilk ‘Can I eat the peanut butter?’, ‘Why did you choose peanut butter?’ and “Do you think it’s more important for a piece of art to be tasty or beautiful?” (4) For the 2026 presentation, there will be a compilation of this dialogue between curious viewers and the Dutch artist-comedian, looking back at the unique absurd humor and warmth that Schippers brought to his work.
for the 2026 presentation, the questions and answers from the 2011 Peanut Butter Post will be shown
A toast to Schippers’ legacy
Schippers was a successful producer and director for the Dutch national broadcaster, creating many successful TV shows watched by millions. He was also known for his work on the Dutch adaptation of the beloved children’s show Sesame Streetor “Sesame Street,” where he voiced many characters, from Ernie to Count von Cote. In addition to this mainstream work, he was often associated with the Pop Art and Fluxus movements of the mid-twentieth century. (5) There is a range that characterizes his humor: it is at once childlike in its playfulness, cleverly absurd in its execution, and sharply sly in the way it speaks to contemporary culture.
Speaking about the value of Schippers’ contribution to art and culture, Museum Deputy Director Boijmans Van Beuningen Sandra Kisters noticed: “He used art to make people think, but he always had a light touch. His peanut butter floor still raises questions like, is this art? Am I allowed to like this? And it is this sense of confusion that makes this piece so special. We consider it a great honor to be able to present this unique work of art in his memory.’
at once childlike in its playfulness and cleverly absurd in its execution
