Hilda van Blonkers tried ever so hard to fit in as a young girl at school, but could never hide her oversizedness, for she was well over six foot, in the old measure, at the ripe old age of seven, and continued to shoot up and out reaching well over six foot six when she moved into the senior school at twelve.
The upside to Hilda’s extraordinary growth spurts was that she passed herself off as much older than she was and often when visiting neighbouring villages and towns found herself sneaking into the most grown up of places and events.
What this meant to Hilda, unlike her peers, was the opportunity to flourish under such social freedom and before she knew it found herself singing in a jazz band, and dancing at the Schottensflon discotheque in an extra-oversized birdcage to the sounds of Eric Burden the pimply young pom with the voice of ten men, and other assorted Euro bands mimicking the sounds from across the Channel.
Hilda loved her life and soon became somewhat of a legend both back at school and in her hometown and surrounds, and with the evergrowing support from her parents went on to record with such greats as Francoise Hardy, Marianne Faithful and Joan Baez.
Hilda was a shining light to a generation of young girls in her homeland, and even today is seen as a true woman of her country - singular, strong willed, and merrily marching to the beat of a different drum.
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Hilda is an original sculpture by Susan Bowers created from many layers of vintage and antique textiles over clay and wire. Click here to see Hilda in all her glory.