Peanut butter floor in Rotterdam

As a tribute to Wim T. Schippers, the Peanut Butter Floor is on display in the Depot of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (Rotterdam). For this version, 390 kilograms of peanut butter were spread out in a 25 m² hexagon. You can visit the Peanut Butter Floor until September 6, 2026. In this blog, there is much to report about peanuts, peanut butter, Wim T. Schippers, and the hexagon.

Peanut

The peanut (Arachis hypogaea), also known as groundnut, oilnut, monkey nut, or katjang, is, despite all these names, botanically speaking not a nut, but a legume containing one, two, or three seeds. Like all legumes, the peanut plant belongs to the Fabaceae family (Leguminosae or Fabaceae). The flower is located above ground, and after fertilization, a pod with usually two seeds develops from it. Subsequently, the fruit undergoes a special development: the stem on which the pod grows lengthens and burrows into the ground. This part of the stem is called a carpophore or fruit-bearer. Underground, the fruit ripens and subsequently germinates under natural conditions. The peanut plant is an annual plant native to South America and was spread by the Spaniards in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world in the 16th century.

peanut butter

Peanut butter is a food product made from very finely ground peanuts. Peanut butter, in its current spreadable form, originated in Montreal, Canada, where it was developed in 1884 by Marcellus Edson during a time of surplus peanut production. Peanut butter was a byproduct of peanut oil. The spreadable version was invented in 1893 by the American John Harvey Kellogg. However, some sources claim that the American Rose Davis was already making spreadable peanut butter around 1840, after her son described how Cuban women ground peanuts and ate the spread on bread. Peanut butter is particularly popular as a spread in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, and to a lesser extent in Suriname (especially a spicier variety) and Germany. In the United States, peanut butter is legally required to contain at least 90% peanuts. Furthermore, it is legally prohibited to add artificial sweeteners, colorings, and preservatives to peanut butter. Most varieties also contain salt and sugar to cater to the taste of the average consumer, although health food and other variants without additives are also sold. In addition to peanut butter for human consumption, there is also salt-free peanut butter for birds.

About the Peanut Butter Floor

What is the Peanut Butter Floor?

The Peanut Butter Floor is a conceptual artwork by Wim T. Schippers from 1962. Willem Theodoor Schippers (1942–2026) was a Dutch programme maker, actor, voice actor, writer, director, presenter, and visual artist. His visual art had affinities with Fluxus, Pop Art, and conceptual art. As a theater maker, he made use of humor and absurdity. As a writer, he often created new words. He gained fame in the Netherlands through controversial TV programs he made in the 60s and 70s, such as Hoepla and De Fred Haché Show, featuring famous characters like Fred Haché, Barend Servet, and Sjef van Oekel.

It consists of a floor covered with a thick layer of peanut butter and is part of his so-called Floor Covering Series. Within this series, he covered floors with glass shards and salt, among other things. The artwork revolves around the idea that there is a floor of peanut butter in a museum and visitors wonder why. It raises questions such as: Is this art? and Am I allowed to find this beautiful? Schippers viewed art as something that does not necessarily have to be logical or useful. It may be nonsensical – just like life itself – and precisely for that reason be worthwhile.

Is this the original Peanut Butter Floor from 1962?

The Peanut Butter Floor is a work that is executed time and again according to the instructions of Wim T. Schippers. The presentation in the Depot is therefore not a preserved floor from 1962, but a new version of the artwork. The idea and the execution together constitute the work. See the photo of myself below.

Why did the museum choose the Peanut Butter Floor specifically as a tribute?

The Peanut Butter Floor is one of Wim T. Schippers' most iconic and recognizable works. The work symbolizes his humor, idiosyncrasy, and innovative view of art. For decades, the work has evoked wonder, curiosity, and discussion among visitors. Precisely because it is so characteristic of his way of thinking and working, the Peanut Butter Floor is a fitting tribute.

Is the floor made of real peanut butter?

Yes, smooth Calvé peanut butter was used for this version. Wim T. Schippers considered that very important for the experience of his work. Schippers prefers the brand of Calvé peanut butter. Regarding that, he said, 'because it spreads so nicely'.

How much peanut butter is needed in total?

For this version, our peanut butter plasterers used approximately 390 kilos of peanut butter.

What shape and size is the Peanut Butter Floor?

The Peanut Butter Floor can be executed in various shapes. For this presentation, a 25 m² hexagon was chosen, fitting the exhibition space and the desire to present the work as spatially as possible.

Hexagon (Belgium)

The final sheet in the annual 'Geometry in Nature' series. This time, the hexagon from nature. From left to right, the stamps: Pineapple peel, A collection of hexagons in nature, Honeycomb, Butterfly egg, Cactus. Block/sheet margin: Enlargement of a honeycomb.