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 | [sent 27 August 2020, updated 19.11.2020]
The Van Abbemuseum is
preparing for the opening of a new collection display in the autumn of 2021.
With accessibility higher on the agenda than ever, the museum is working hard on this varied and progressive exhibition, featuring key
pieces from the museum’s internationally respected collection. In the meantime,
the museum has a year's worth of exciting projects and exhibitions
planned.
On display in the Old Building galleries
Positions #6: Bodywork 28.11.2020 – 25.04.2021
In this sixth and final iteration of the series Positions, five intriguing artists will exhibit new and existing work in the museum’s Old Building. From all over the world and deploying varying forms of expression, each of
these artists relates to the human body in their own way. Rather than regard
the body as a natural entity, they consider it as a result of the culture in
which it exists. They tackle questions such as the ‘engineerability’ of the
body, (mis)communication, vulnerability and the effects of technological
developments on the individual and on society. From the humorous and
hallucinatory to the clinical and revelatory, the work of these artists invites
the viewer to broaden their perspective of the human body through new
experiences. Navine G. Khan-Dossos (1982, UK), Praneet Soi (1971, India) and
Ajla R. Steinvåg (1975, Norway) have previously had smaller displays at the Van
Abbemuseum. Laure Prouvost (1978, France) will show new work produced for the exhibition. The work of Zach Blas (1981,
US) will be exhibited for the first time in the Netherlands. Sponsored by Stichting Ammodo and the
Mondriaan Fonds.
Gülsün Karamustafa & León Ferrari 08.05.2021 – 26.09.2021
Through solo exhibitions by
Hito Steyerl, Rasheed Araeen and less recently, Marlene Dumas and Christo, the
Van Abbemuseum has earned itself a reputation as a museum that launches internationally
recognised artists in the Netherlands. Continuing in this vein, 2021 will see
the start of a series of solo exhibitions by renowned international artists who
have not had large scale solo exhibitions in the Netherlands. Two solo exhibitions
are sometimes displayed in conjunction with one another, as is the case for
Gülsün Karamustafa (1946, Istanbul) and León Ferrari (1920-2013, Buenos Aires):
Hailing from different corners of the world, their cultural and geo-political
histories show surprising parallels. Visitors can explore how these unique
artists are responding to the changes and conflicts taking place in their
homelands. As well as parallels, there are also differences between the
artists. Karamustafa reflects on male-female relations in a changing Turkey,
and the loss of Istanbul’s multicultural climate; Ferrari responds to the
influence of Western, Christian civilization on South America and on
dictatorship in Argentina. The exhibition includes never before shown pieces by
the artist. Karamustafa will be producing a new artwork especially for this
solo exhibition. The exhibition is a joint collaboration between the Museo
Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in
Madrid, the Centre Pompidou in Paris (León Ferrari) and Lunds konsthall in Lund
(Gülsün Karamustafa).
Exhibitions in the Collection Building
Face to Face with Gustav Klimt 23.01.2020 – 11.04.2021
Having come Face to Face with old masters Rembrandt
and Frans Hals, Van Abbemuseum visitors to this third display in the series are
confronted with works by the19th and 20th century modern master, Gustav Klimt (1862-1918,
Vienna). Contemporary artist and designer, Bas van Beek (1974, Nijmegen) will
transform the Van Abbemuseum projects gallery into a complete experience, in
which he combines the art of Klimt with furniture and huge tiles of Van Beek's
own creation. A highlight of the exhibition is the full-scale
copy of Klimt’s famous Beethoven Frieze,
recently created for the Belvedere museum in Vienna and to be premiered for the
first time internationally at Face to Face with Gustav Klimt. Spanning
34 metres, the symbolist artwork from 1902 depicts the suffering of weak
humanity and its longing for happiness, captured in Klimt’s luxuriant signature
style. The more melancholy side to Klimt is expressed in three dark, intense
paintings. Photographs of Klimt and his creative environment transport the
visitor to early 20th-century Vienna, where lavish ornamentation and
symbolism were embraced, and represented an alternative to the sober
inclination of the more abstract art movements of the period. Van Beek based
his designs on those of artists, architects and designers inspired by Klimt and
the notion of the Gesamtkunstwerk. Sponsored by the Stichting Promotors
Van Abbemuseum and the Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie.
Dustin Thierry: Opulence 12.09.2020 - 04.04.2021
From the ground floor,
visitors descend to the museum’s basement level, where subdued blue lighting
and golden curtains form the décor of Dustin Thierry’s exhibition, Opulence. It is an ode to the deceased brother of Thierry “and to all those
who are not yet able to be true to their sexual identity”, says the artist,
born in 1985 in Curaçao. Black and white photographs of individual and group
portraits provide a window into the European Ballroom scene; a subculture of
the LGBTQI+ community in which black queer young people exuberantly celebrate
their identity in dance competitions. His photographs are not the only subject
of Thierry's keen eye: the artist will also challenge the museum on issues of
diversity and representation. A number of prints will be enhanced with a
special ink that is only visible under UV light. With this gesture, Thierry makes reference to
discrimination and marginalisation, and his mission to “make visible that which
is invisible, and to give a voice to that which is often muted”. Sponsored by Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds
Noord-Brabant and produced in collaboration with Foam Photography
Museum, Amsterdam.
Victor Sonna. 1525 18.07.2020 – 30.05.2021
The museum's 25-metre high
tower houses a spectacular scaffolding structure from which hang 152 artworks based on tapestries
produced by Victor Sonna. The top two floors feature platforms that visitors
can access in order to view the individual artworks up close, as well as offer
them a unique viewing angle on the entire installation. Sonna transformed 18th - 20th century gobelins featuring charming scenes into bleached and
dark artworks reflecting slavery. These became three series entitled Bleach and Fabric, Sugar and Rubber and Cards - Iene Miene Mutte. “There is always more than one
side to a story”, says Sonna, who was born in Cameroon and has spent the past
twenty or so years living and working in Eindhoven. Alongside the 152 works
that can be viewed from two sides, the exhibition includes six films made of
footage taken by Sonna during his travels to Ghana and Suriname. The first
floor houses his installation Wall of Reconciliation, consisting of 52 works based on silkscreen screens with depictions of slavery.
The exhibiting is part of a nationwide collaboration, Musea
Bekennen Kleur, which launched this year and involves Dutch museums
exploring issues around inclusion and diversity. The initiative is accompanied
by a comprehensive schools programme and unique exploratory activities.
Sponsored by the Mondriaan Fonds.
From September 2021: New collection display
Since its inception 84 years
ago, the Van Abbemuseum has had a tradition of innovation, pioneering and
facilitating research. This spirit is driving the preparation of the
new collection display, which will take shape throughout 2021 in the museum’s
Collection Building. Key works from an international collection of modern
Western art will be presented in a global perspective across three floors.
Chosen for display will be pieces from the collection that have received less attention
over the years, as well as recent acquisitions that uniquely represent the
times we live in. ‘Micro’ histories - both regional and international - will be
a focal point, told by a broad range of figures. These stories that generate unexpected combinations of artworks, offer an insight into the motivations of their
creators, and offer surprising perspectives on the future.
Partly thanks to generous
support from the Bankgiro Loterij, the museum has been experimenting on
increasing accessibility for those with disabilities; for example, through the
use of tactile replicas and olfactory interpretations that bring renowned works
of art to life for the blind and partially-sighted. In the new collection
display, these experiments will be expanded further for all audience groups,
introducing an additional dimension for anyone visiting the exhibition.
Sponsored by the BankGiro Loterij and Our Many Europes scheme by museums
confederation, L’Internationale.
At the Eye, the museum’s open-air gallery
De Onkruidenier. Forever Summer 14.11.2020 – 11.04.2021
Under the name de
Onkruidenier, Dutch duo, Jonmar van Vlijmen (1980, NL) and Ronald Boer
(1981, NL) explore the relationship between man and nature in a
quasi-scientific and artistic way. In Forever
Summer, the project set to feature this coming winter and spring, the
tomato plays the lead role. The project commenced earlier this year when little
tomato plants were distributed to around 50 amateur and professional growers in
Eindhoven. Since then, tomato plants of all kinds of colours and shapes have
been growing in gardens, allotments and on balconies throughout the city. In
the meantime, with the help of experts, de Onkruidenier has been conducting
research into the relationship between the museum climate and the best climate
for growing tomatoes and storing the plant’s seeds. In addition, experiments
are underway on creating printing ink using pigments from tomatoes. All aspects
of the research will be shared in an inviting display
in the form of an installation, screenprints and stories from those who
participated at the museum’s open-air gallery, the Eye, and on the adjoining
wall. Sponsored by the Mondriaan Fonds.
Eimear Walshe 24.04.2021 – 19.09.2021
A large-scale sculpture of a bird will be installed on the floor of the Eye (the museum’s open-air gallery). Visitors will be able to walk around
and on the sculpture. The sculpture is Eimear Walshe's interpretation of a
cuckoo: the bird that lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species and
leaves others to raise her young. In the English language, the abbreviation
‘cuck’ takes on a negative meaning for men who look after another person’s
children. The term is also used by the American alt-right movement to describe
immigrants, the LGBTI community, feminists, socialists and anti-racists. In
this project, Walshe (1992, Ireland) re-appropriates the term ‘cuck’ and
stresses the need to oppose political divisions. Together with performance
artist, Maïa Nunes, they will post online on themes they believe to be
neglected in standard sex education, such as pleasure, power and rejection. As
part of this, they will work with the Van Abbemuseum Choir, students from the
Design Academy Eindhoven and the queer constituency active within the museum.
This project is an extension of a project Walshe set up in 2018 in
collaboration with the Van Abbemuseum and the Design Academy Eindhoven called
The Department of Sexual Revolution Studies.
Programming during Dutch Design Week
Geo-Design: Sand 17.10.2020 – 15.11.2020
After water, sand is the most
used natural resource on earth. It’s everywhere: from the buildings we live in
and the glasses we wear, to the silicon chips in our computers and smartphones.
And sand is becoming scarce. Which can lead to smuggling and even war.
Furthermore, sand mining is a major disruptor of ecosystems. The Van Abbemuseum
and Design Academy Eindhoven will be working together once again for this
year’s Dutch Design Week on a display entitled Geo-Design. Initiated in 2018, this series sees ex-students of the
Design Academy Eindhoven take an innovative approach to examining the
socio-economical, geographical and geo-political forces at play in the work of
contemporary designers. Following Geo-Design:
Alibaba and Geo-Design: Junk, the
name of the third exhibition in the series is Geo-Design: Sand. Through
a wide variety of media and techniques, participants in Geo-Design: Sand address a broad range of aspects and current
issues related to the material, sand.
New Melancholy 17.10.2020 – 03.01.2020
During Dutch Design Week, the
Van Abbemuseum and Home of Design Kazerne will simultaneously open an
exhibition of art and design entitled New
Melancholy. Plans were in place for a collaboration between the Kazerne
Foundation, Van Abbemuseum and Lidewij Edelkoort (former director of Design
Academy Eindhoven and internationally renowned trend forecaster), but the
outbreak of COVID-19 meant that the exhibition would take on a unique
character. When curating her collection of innovative contemporary design, a
major consideration for Edelkoort was the essential contribution that design
makes towards achieving a happy life. For some considerable time, the Van
Abbemuseum’s collection has been shaped by diversity and reflection on the
world of today; whereby there is no longer any single dominant culture or
artistic tradition, but instead centres art that has the potential to surprise the
onlooker or encourage new insights. Now, parts of both collections will come together
at both locations. The pieces chosen will be accessible, carrying a sense of
melancholy and in-keeping with the current themes of maintaining distance and
reflection. But New Melancholy is
also intended to offer new ways of engaging with design, art and even the
pandemic.
The very last Library Exhibition
Bartleby & Co. 08.09.2020 – 08.01.2021
The final exhibition to take
place in the Van Abbemuseum library is dedicated to Bartleby & Co., an artist’s project by Thorsten Baensch (1967,
Germany) founded in 1995. The publications and projects of Bartleby & Co. are created with the utmost care, beauty,
originality, spirit, love and respect. Bartleby
& Co. works with artists, artisans, authors, poets, scientists,
thinkers, translators and other experts. Intensive collaboration produces
projects of the highest quality. Bartleby
& Co. describes its editions as “playful and serious; complex and
simple; poetic and cryptic; sociable and hermetic; often multi-lingual and
mostly a combination of innovative materials and mixed print and binding
techniques”.
The name Bartleby is derived
from a 19th century novel by the American writer, Herman Melville.
In the book, office clerk Bartleby who, after getting though a high volume of
work, then refuses to make copies or perform any other tasks by saying “I’d
rather not”. The Thorsten Baensch editions are an homage to the deeply rooted
human need for free will. They also represent a statement by the artist on the
absurdity of our existence.
Beyond the museum walls
Display at Van der Valk Hotel Eindhoven Ongoing
April of 2018 marked the
start of a unique collaborative project between the Van der Valk Hotel in
Eindhoven, the Van Abbemuseum and the designer, Piet Hein Eek. In a special
display cabinet designed by Eek, a mechanical artwork from the museum collection
was exhibited inside a glass trolley. Since then, the exhibits on display in
the cabinet, situated in the centre of the hotel's lobby, have been rotated
regularly. Each time, an eminent individual from the city or region of
Eindhoven selects a piece from the museum’s collection. Currently on display is
the personal choice of cabaret artist and entertainer, Rob Scheepers. Scheepers
has brought together five pieces he feels reflect the relationship that exists
between him and his audience when he is performing, among which a balancing
figure by Juan Muñoz. Next year the honour of guest curator goes to Dutch
Design Foundation Director, Martijn Paulen, food designer Annelies Hermsen and
artist, Jalila Essaïdi.
Supported by
NOTE FOR EDITORS
For enquiries and images:
Neeltje van Gool, Press Office
M: +31 (0)6 1299 5794
E: pressoffice@vanabbemuseum.nl
Images (top to bottom, left to right)
Photo: Boudewijn Bollmann | Zach Blass, The Doors, 2019, installation view, Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst, Oldenburg, Germany. Courtesy of the Artist and Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst | Laure Prouvost, Dit learn, 2017, still, collection Van Abbemuseum Eindhoven | Gülsün Karamustafa, Promised Paintings (Angel 2) 1998, collection Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven. Foto Peter Cox | Gustav Klimt, Beethoven frieze, narrow wall (The Hostile Forces), Secession, Photo: Jorit Aust | Victor Sonna, 1525, 2020, exhibition Van Abbemuseum Eindhoven. Photo: Ronald Smits
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Visiting address
Bilderdijklaan 10
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
vanabbemuseum.nl/en
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Opening hours
Tuesday to Sunday 11am - 5pm.
The museum is closed on New Year’s Day, King's Day and Christmas Day.
Admission
€13 Adults
€ 6 Students, CJP card holders
Free Children aged up to 12, holders of a Museumkaart,
BankGiro Loterij VIP card & every Tuesday afternoon after 3pm.
Book tickets online
vanabbemuseum.nl/tickets
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Het Van Abbemuseum wordt onder andere ondersteund door / is supported by:
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