Bevrijd de kinderen uit de krokodil

Bevrijd de kinderen uit de krokodil (Free the Children from the Crocodile), a 1997 sculpture by Mark Jambers, was inspired by an Indian mythological tale in which the crocodile serves as a metaphor for the exploitation of children. 

The sculpture shows a stylised female figure with a narrow face wrapped in a white turban. With outstretched arms she seizes a crocodile form, on which a captive child is depicted in relief. 

The work was placed near the new Public Social Welfare Centre in Luchtbal. The artist drew inspiration from the book Children of the crocodile by Rudi Rotthier, a journalistic account of child slavery in India. The sculpture serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 

Mark Jambers (b. 1947) is a Belgian sculptor known for his socially engaged works. His art often addresses themes of contemporary politics or injustice, an engagement also clearly reflected in the titles he gives his works.