Umicore is proud to support the new awards for the “Gala van de Gouden Jefkes”, better known as the Flemish Comedy Awards, a collaboration between the DIVA museum[le1] and Arenberg. The awards will be presented on March 4, 2026. With this commitment, Umicore not only wants to contribute to the event, but also to introduce the general public to the craft, design process and metalworking that are hidden behind precious metal objects.
Hans De Backer emerged as the winner of the design competition of the DIVA museum, and together with silversmith Annick Mertens, he tells the story behind these unique awards in this article.
The inspiration: a small figure with a lot of guts
Hans:
"I wanted to depict the guts of comedians: someone small in a big world, but still brave enough to step on stage as a comedian. That has become the little man: dreamy and vulnerable on the high pedestal, but with a good portion of daring."
The J-shaped pedestal refers to Jef Staes, but also to Hans' love of typography.
"The J is based on Bodoni, a beautiful font. Abstract, so that the male remains central."
If Hans had to describe his award in one word, it would be: "Serious."
"It's about comedy, but the award can be solemn and stately. It is a recognition."
Hans thought: gold! Annick thought: let's do the math...
Initially, Hans did not think of the necessary materials for the implementation.
"In my head, everything was gold. (laughs)"
But in reality, budget, weight, sustainability and production are quickly around the corner. A wooden pedestal seemed the right choice, but for the little man, the search for the ideal, feasible and affordable, precious metal began.
Annick explains that choice of materials and craftsmanship go hand in hand:
"You start from: what fits best here? Initially, the idea was to work with silver, but then the costs soon turned out to be very high due to the high purchase price of silver. That meant that gold was also quickly depreciated. Option B soon came up for the male, bronze as a basis. This alloy is durable, casts fantastically, and has a centuries-long history in art. And it is a material that you can finish beautifully."
"I think alloys are really magical. You bring two soft metals together, such as copper and tin, and suddenly you get a hard, strong material such as bronze. They are almost like alchemical processes: you combine elements and get completely new properties. That continues to fascinate me."
Gold, silver and bronze: why these metals?
Annick is happy to explain:
- Bronze: "Affordable, durable and excellent castability. And you can patinate it fantastically — from brown to green to blue. It has been an artist's attitude since ancient times and is fully recyclable."
- Zilver: "A personal favourite: soft, finely workable, shiny like a mirror. You can boil it white, polish it or patinate it deep black."
- Gold: "Gold is incredible. It never corrodes and can be beaten into extremely thin gold leaf. That's why it has been a symbol of kings, winners and trophies for centuries."
Bronze is used as the base material for the awards, finished in:
- Vergulding (Lifetime Achievement)
- Redemption (for young talent)
- Patina (playful awards)
How the award took shape
Hans worked completely artisanally during the design process:
"Paper and pencil, that's all it takes. Then I made a prototype in plaster, plastiline, wood and lead. For my entry, I made a rudimentary 3D image of it."
Annick chose an age-old technique: the lost wax method.
This goes as follows:
- Making a wax man
- Casting a silicone mold
- Various wax copies are made in the silicone mold
- Encasing the wax with a plaster coat
- Melt wax
- Bronze casting
- Cutting, sanding, polishing
- Finish with gold leaf, silver leaf and patina
"Gilding or silver-plating with gold leaf and silver leaf is an artisanal technique: thin metal leaves are placed by hand on a prepared adhesive layer and pressed with a soft brush, so that they shape perfectly to every line and detail of the man.
Another possible option for gold plating or silver plating is through an electrochemical process. The male is placed in a bath with a liquid in which gold or silver is dissolved. When current passes through the bath, the metal adheres to the surface by itself, layer by layer. This gives the male a solid and even layer of gold or silver.
For the bronze, a chemical patina is applied. There are several ways to do this: in this case, the metal is first heated with a flame, after which the patina liquid is applied with a brush. Sometimes I also use a spray bottle to spray the patina solution onto the hot metal. Both techniques give the bronze a unique color, depth and character."
Sustainability: every grain counts
The link with Umicore is essential here: As a world leader in the recycling of precious metals, Umicore ensures that valuable metals are not lost. Based on this sustainable vision, the DIVA museum consciously chooses to purchase the precious metals from Umicore for restorations and new creations.
"With precious metals, we literally don't throw anything away. I catch every filing, every speck of dust in my apron. This goes to a processor who recovers the metal particles. Precious metals are expensive and finite, so it is important that we take enormous care of them."
That awareness is essential for her:
"The origin of metal is often not 100% transparent. That is why recycling is so important. The more we close what we consume, the less dependent we are on mining."
With the “Gouden Jefkes” we celebrate both comedy talent and the power of craft and circular metals. Umicore is proud to contribute to this and thus bring the story behind precious metals closer to the public. An award with a heart and a sustainable core.
