Don't walk away

by Bert Hermans · Gouda, NL

This painting is a free interpretation of one of the production halls of the former steelworks 'Forge Lunaire' in Northern France. In this factory, scrap metal was melted back into steel, until competition became too fierce and it was forced to close its doors. In Forge Lunaire, also known as the "Cathedral of Steel", up to 3000 tons of steel was produced daily until 2009. There are a total of three halls that were used for the various production parts of the steel. Many of the original production parts and machines can still be found. It seems as if everything was suddenly abandoned after the catastrophe of the end of steel production. The story behind this process and the mystery of the abandoned equipment demands an answer. The title of the painting, 'Don't walk away', refers to the figure in the center of the hall. why is he running away and what's in his suitcase?