Visitors to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam are encountering an unusual sensory experience: the smell of peanuts wafting through the galleries. The source is a 25-square-metre hexagon on the floor, covered in 360 kilograms of peanut butter — a posthumous tribute to Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers, who died on 10 June 2026.
An Absurdist Legacy
Schippers, known for his absurdist works and for voicing Ernie and Kermit the Frog in the Dutch version of Sesame Street, first presented Pindakaasvloer (Peanut Butter Floor) in 1969. The piece challenged conventional notions of art, asking viewers to reconsider what could be considered an artistic medium. At a 1997 exhibition at the Central Museum in Utrecht, Schippers famously told journalists: "Isn't it fantastic that we are all standing here looking at peanut butter?"
That earlier showing was not without incident. Some visitors, tempted by the edible material, placed 12 slices of bread and several bags of chocolate sprinkles — a common Dutch breakfast topping — on the artwork. Schippers took the vandalism in stride, telling a Dutch newspaper: "It doesn't look bad. The sprinkles have been applied with a sense of proportion and a skilful hand."
The Peanut Butter Floor later became part of Schippers's Floor Covering Series, which also included floors covered with glass shards and salt. Each work in the series used everyday materials to provoke reflection on texture, value, and the boundaries of art.
Recreating the Work
To recreate the piece, two museum employees followed Schippers's detailed 20-point plan. Over several days, they spread 40 tubs of peanut butter donated by Calvé — a Dutch brand — to a thickness of 2 centimetres, using drywall trowels. The museum stated that the goal was to make the surface "as smooth and boring as possible", in keeping with the artist's original vision.
The museum has warned visitors with peanut allergies that the exhibition could pose a health risk. Those without allergies are encouraged to "follow the smell" around the museum to fully experience the work.
The exhibition runs until 6 September 2026. For those unable to visit, the museum has released footage of the artwork's creation.
Schippers's death at age 83 marked the end of a career that spanned television, theater, and visual art. His work often blurred the line between the mundane and the profound, and the Peanut Butter Floor remains one of his most iconic pieces. The tribute in Rotterdam ensures that his legacy — and his sticky, nutty floor — will not be forgotten.
