Wim T. Schippers, Dutch absurdist artist and voice of Ernie, dies at 83

Wim T. Schippers, a towering figure in Dutch culture for more than six decades, died on Wednesday 10 June 2026 at the age of 83. His foundation, established in 2024 to preserve his artistic legacy, confirmed his death on 15 June.

A multifaceted career

Schippers moved between visual art, television, radio, theatre, and literature. He first entered the art world in the late 1950s, contributing to the Fluxus movement and co-authoring the Adynamic Manifesto. Over the decades he became one of the most original and influential artists and media makers in the Netherlands, leaving a body of work that is both absurdist and deeply rooted in the Dutch language.

Absurdist television pioneer

In the 1970s he created groundbreaking programmes for the public broadcaster VPRO. The Barend Servet Show and the later Sjef van Oekel Show shattered television conventions with surreal humour, chaotic sets, and rapid-fire dialogue. These shows turned characters like Barend Servet and Sjef van Oekel into household names and paved the way for generations of Dutch comedy writers.

The voice of a generation

Beyond his own programmes, Schippers was heard daily in Dutch living rooms: he was the voice of Ernie in Sesamstraat, the Dutch co-production of Sesame Street. He also voiced the character’s companion, Bert, thereby performing both roles of the famous Muppet duo. For many Dutch speakers, his voice became inseparable from childhood memories.

Language and legacy

Schippers also enriched the Dutch language: the phrase 'Jammer, maar helaas' (too bad, but alas) is one of his enduring gifts to everyday speech. Late in life he remained active as a writer, theatre-maker, and visual artist. The Stichting Wim T. Schippers, founded one year before his death, will now take on the task of safeguarding and continuing his extensive artistic estate.