Walk Over Fame

During the festival Wereld van de Witte de With in 2007, Willem de Roon created the project Walk Over Fame. For this work, photographs of famous Rotterdammers were embedded into the city’s paving stones — literally placed under the feet of passing pedestrians.

With this intervention in public space, De Roon took hero worship off its pedestal. Instead of elevated statues, he chose an everyday, accessible approach: the city itself became the stage where celebrities could appear — and just as easily fade back into the flow of daily life.

Walk Over Fame offered a playful yet critical nod to the classic Walk of Fame, fitting perfectly within the festival theme “Heroes.” Mothership produced the project in collaboration with September in Rotterdam (Rotterdam Festivals).