Big Funnelman

Updated April 15, 2024

# Big Funnelman, Breda: The Red Roadside Sculpture You Keep Seeing on the A27

## What it is
Big Funnelman (Grote Trechterman) is a large public artwork by the Rotterdam-based collective Atelier Van Lieshout (AVL). The red, human-shaped figure reclines on a stepped, stone-terraced slope with an orange funnel fixed to its mouth. It has been part of Breda’s roadside landscape since 2004 and is fabricated from painted polyester—a durable, weather-resistant material often used by AVL.

## Where you’ll find it
The sculpture sits beside the A27 motorway near Breda, by the Breda junction / Breda-Noord–Bavel exits, on that distinctive tiered embankment you pass at speed. Mapping and catalog records place it at approximately 51°35′03.98″ N, 4°49′25″ E. AVL notes the location was chosen where traffic jams routinely form at rush hour—making the piece unmissable to commuters. Commons

> Note on accuracy: Some online listings publish different coordinates. The most authoritative catalog entries (Commons/Wikidata) and long-running map pins point to the A27 terrace near the Breda-Noord/Bavel area; use the coordinates above for precise mapping. Commons

## Who made it—and why it looks this way
– Artist: Atelier Van Lieshout (founded by sculptor Joep van Lieshout).
– Commission: City of Breda commissioned and installed the work.
– Year: 2004, as part of a broader series of colorful polyester figures by AVL.

Local art resources and AVL’s own notes connect the funnel to readings about pressure, consumption, and compulsion: the figure lies passively, funnel at the mouth, echoing how modern life can feel like force-feeding—especially apt at a site defined by routine, stop-and-go traffic. Breda’s municipal art guide spells out the “mass consumption” angle explicitly, and AVL has described the siting in relation to the experience of commuters.

## Scale and materials
– Length: ~10 meters from head to toe (AVL and Breda coverage).
– Material: Polyester, painted red with an orange funnel.
These choices give the work its glossy, toy-like presence and endurance in an exposed highway setting.

## How to see it—safely and responsibly
– Primary view: From the A27 while passing the Breda-Noord/Bavel exits—you’ll see the red figure on the stepped terrace. Do not stop on the motorway shoulder; it’s unsafe and prohibited.
– Surface-street vantage: Public art inventories point to the Heusdenhout side of the junction (near Kemelstede) for local-road perspectives without entering the motorway network. Always use lawful parking and keep off the carriageway.

(Accessibility note: this is a roadside artwork with no dedicated visitor platform or services. Viewing is typically from vehicles or nearby public roads/paths; there are no official facilities on site.)
(Inclusivity note: the piece is fully visible outdoors and free to view from public thoroughfares.)

## The local life of a highway icon
Big Funnelman has become a kind of cultural weather vane for Breda—periodically sparking playful or pointed interventions that make headlines:

– 2014 — “Dressed” for a message: Local fashion label Ruby Tuesday temporarily clothed the figure to draw attention to labor issues in global garment production. The action was openly acknowledged as a guerilla intervention and covered by regional media.
– 2018 — Painted in football colors, then cleaned: Supporters of Willem II briefly repainted sections; municipal crews restored the sculpture to its familiar red/orange finish.
– 2020 — A temporary “son”: During the early COVID period, an anonymous artist placed a small blue “mini-Funnelman” alongside the original—a light-hearted, short-lived addition that news outlets documented and later reported as removed/treated.

These episodes underline the work’s visibility and the public’s impulse to interact with it—sometimes to make social points, sometimes for local humor. Each time, authorities or caretakers have restored the original artwork.

## Reading the work: a quick guide
Contemporary public art often invites multiple readings rather than a single “official” meaning. With Big Funnelman, commentary from AVL and Breda’s art resources supports a few grounded interpretations:

– Mass consumption & pressure: The funnel suggests inputs forced upon the body—media, goods, routines—linking the site’s daily traffic to modern consumption habits.
– Commuter empathy: Placing the work where traffic stalls literalizes the feeling of being fed a schedule you can’t control—a visual metaphor for routine and compulsion.

Anything beyond these documented readings drifts into speculation, so it’s best to anchor your captioning and tour notes to the sources above.

## Practical tips for photographers
– Best light: Side-lit mornings and late afternoons create contrast on the stepped gabion terraces and the figure’s glossy surfaces (general photography principle; onsite light varies).
– Safe pull-offs: Plan from surface streets rather than the motorway; use legal parking only. (There’s no sanctioned shoulder viewing.)
– Weathering & maintenance: Because it’s polyester, color can look different after cleaning or minor restoration—recent media photos show slightly varying sheen after interventions.

## Key facts at a glance
– Name: Big Funnelman (Grote Trechterman)
– Artist: Atelier Van Lieshout (Joep van Lieshout and studio)
– Year: 2004
– Material: Painted polyester
– Location: A27 Breda junction / Breda-Noord–Bavel exits (approx. 51°35′03.98″ N, 4°49′25″ E)
– Commissioned by: City of Breda

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### Source notes & data quality
– Authoritative artist/source pages (AVL) confirm the siting concept and approx. 10 m length.
– Municipal/local art guides and press document the 2004 commission by Breda and the polyester medium.
– Local news record the 2014 clothing action, 2018 repaint/cleanup, and the temporary 2020 “son.”
– Coordinates: Commons/Wikidata provide standardized location data used by mapping tools; older third-party posts sometimes display variant pins. Commons

If you’re building a map or guide entry, stick to the coordinates and facts above; they’re the most consistently cited across independent catalogs and local reporting.

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