Tiel – Waterstraat – Ruben Poncia
Around the year 1000, Tiel was the Rotterdam of its day! This imposing Hanseatic ship moors where the Linge river used to flow. Thanks to its favourable location on the Waal and Linge rivers, Tiel flourished as a trading centre between 925 and 1050. After the Linge silted up and was dammed, Tiel remained an important link between East and West as a Hanseatic city. There is no longer any trace of the Linge in the city, but the name “Waterstraat” still recalls this water-rich past. In the Flipje & Streekmuseum, you can discover how this small settlement grew into a powerful trading city. This imposing Hanseatic ship never moored here, but together they symbolise Tiel’s rich trading past.
Step aboard, climb onto the ship, help load the barrels and sail along.
Want to know more about this rich history? see chapter 6 and 11 of the new Canon of Tiel.
Ruben Poncia is a multidisciplinary artist from the Netherlands who lives in Mexico. Active as a professional since 1996. He began his career painting large-scale billboards for cinemas and theaters—an art form that has now all but vanished. From there, his work evolved into murals, hand-lettered signage, magazine illustrations, and cartoons. His acrylic and oil paintings blend realism with surrealism, often incorporating playful perspective tricks, a technique that also features prominently in his anamorphic street art on walls and pavements around the world. Ruben has performed at international festivals and created commercial work across the globe. In recent years, his creative focus has expanded to include screen printing and crafting custom, hand-built guitars.
