Wim T. Schippers
1942–2026 · Dutch artist, comedian and television director
Wim T. Schippers (Groningen, 1942 – Amsterdam, 2026) was a Dutch artist, comedian, television director and voice actor. In the 1960s he worked mainly as a visual artist, associated with the international Fluxus movement, but his name became tied above all to Dutch television, where he wrote, directed and performed in controversial shows over several decades. His best-known artwork is the Pindakaasvloer ("peanut butter floor"), conceived in 1962 and first realized in 1969, which the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam acquired in 2010.
On television he created characters and expressions that entered everyday Dutch. He wrote for the VPRO shows De Fred Haché Show and Van Oekel's Discohoek, whose absurdist humor sparked debate, including a sketch about Queen Juliana that reached parliament. He also voiced Ernie and Kermit the Frog in the Dutch version of Sesame Street and wrote over three hundred songs for his programs. His reputation moved from television's enfant terrible to that of an acknowledged master across several genres. His influence lives on in everyday language, in his stage work and in his visual art.