Goya’s Dark Vision – Then and Now

The sculpture is inspired by one of Francisco de Goya’s fourteen pinturas negras—the painting that only received the title Saturnus after his death (ca. 1819–1823). Because the canvas remained untitled and was never shown publicly, its exact meaning remains open to interpretation. Art historians view the series as Goya’s personal nightmare: he painted out of despair after witnessing war violence and social unrest. Saturnus’ act—a god devouring his child—has become a metaphor for an almighty creator driven mad by his own creations. The scene captures a timeless theme: a deity in absolute madness, an image of existential and societal threat that still resonates today.

From Flesh and Blood to Steel and Welds

Like Goya, Hendrickx portrays Saturnus as a god—but updated for the twenty-first century: no longer a fleshly titan, but a scientific, technological deity.   Its smooth, glossy paint makes the figure look clinical and flawless, while the visible weld seams betray the human hand and the system’s vulnerability. The robot god embodies humanity’s hunger for progress and control, yet simultaneously warns of the perils of unchecked artificiality.

Thus, the work bridges the sacred and the industrial: what was once a flesh-and-blood god is now an assemblage of steel and welds. It asks how far we may go in manipulating body, nature, and technology—and where creativity turns to destruction.

An Artificial Landscape as Resonance Chamber

The Lommel Sahara itself is the product of human intervention. Once huge quantities of coarse “Lommel sand” were extracted here, and the abandoned quarries flooded into clear-blue pools. After the zinc factory closed in 1974, efforts began to restore and re-green the area. Formal recognition as a nature reserve came more recently: since late 2023 the Sahara has officially been part of National Park Bosland, one of Belgium’s four national parks, giving the landscape clear boundaries and legal protection.

The sculpture stands in the tourist zone near that boundary. The ethereal white of the steel form alludes to human industry and science, while the wild greenery beside the sand plain symbolizes reclaimed nature. In this context of destruction and regeneration, Saturnus resonates: a version of human creative drive can destroy the environment, but nature also carries out its own contract of restoration.

Dialogue Between Human, Nature, and Technology

Saturnus embodies a powerful paradox. The futuristic robot god reflects humanity’s dual role as creator and destroyer. At the same time, the surrounding landscape offers hope: from human-made chaos emerges new nature. As an essayistic metaphor, the work invites reflection. How far does our creative impulse reach? When we play god with our technical creations, do we risk devouring ourselves?

Conclusion

On the edge of the Sahara, Saturnus confronts us with the question: who ultimately devours whom—humans or their creations? Between an industrial past and a recovering landscape, the white-painted, welded figure stands as both warning and indictment. It calls on viewers to pause, turn around, and reflect on the price of progress.