Pulchri Studio – Villa Next Door 3

The current exhibition in the Kloosterkerk is part of Voorhout Monumentaal which can be seen in Lange Voorhout and about which i reported before. Click here to see pictures of the sculptures in Lange Voorhout.

As said in that photo report, the whole exhibition gives an idea of modern and contemporary Dutch sculpture. The Kloosterkerk even presents the two youngest artists of the whole exhibition Narges Mohammadi and Sarah Reinbold (both born in 1993).

Although the Kloosterkerk is a beautiful and a historically rich place, it is also an extremely difficult place for exhibitions. Some works function very well as a response to a particular part of the church, such as the sculptures by Sarah Reinbold or Guido Geelen.

Hieke Luik’s work might even overdo it. Other works, such as the sculpture by Auke de Vries, seem to have been given a specific place for no particular reason.

In general, there is very little visual interaction between the different works, with the exception of those by Heringa/Van Kalsbeek and Jan de Weerd. The finest surprise is of course Reinbold’s Tränenflut (Flood of Tears) and it is good that she has been given this particular space for her work.

Very subtle – almost too subtle – is the presentation of the two works by Willem Hussem, one in front of the church and one on the balcony inside.

front: Heringa / Van Kalsbeek, back: Jan de Weerd

front: Narges Mohammadi, back: Jan de Weerd

Click here to see the photo report of the sculptures in Lange Voorhout.

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© Villa Next Door 2023

Contents of all photographs courtesy to all artists, all owners and to Pulchri Studio, Den Haag

Bertus Pieters

VILLA NEXT DOOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ADVERTISING ON THIS PAGE!!

It has to be said that a lot of effort has been made this year to make Voorhout Monumentaal something more monumental than the first edition two years ago. Let’s forget about two years ago; that was a well-intentioned mistake, to say the least.

This year is clearly different. The exhibition has become something of an essay on modern and contemporary Dutch sculpture.

One can always wish for more (and one definitely should!) but defying all kinds of inartistic or even anti-artistic forces in this town seems to become an uphill battle. Apart from the usual necessities such as security and insurance, there are always other interests.

There are always ideas about modern and contemporary art in general, and monumental sculpture in particular, of being elitist, incomprehensible, ugly, a hobby for colonial old white men and whatnot. Then there are the usual markets at Lange Voorhout, which seem to attract people who do their best to ignore the sculptures.

But let’s get back to what has been achieved: an essay on Dutch sculpture exhibited in the Lange Voorhout and in the Kloosterkerk on Lange Voorhout. One could criticise the curators for ignoring the younger generations, with the exception of Narges Mohammadi and Sarah Reinbold (both 1993 – in the Kloosterkerk).

One could think of an inventive installation by a young artist in between De Posthoorn and West that would both defy and accept the crowds on market days and that would be a proper counterbalance to Zeger Reyers’ Vanaf hier. Once upon a time we even had young sculptors who made works for Lange Vijverberg and Hofvijver.

And why not make it a biannual event in which more artistic platforms co-operate in the whole area? You would get a more diverse range of art as a result which would attract a more diverse range of people.

But well, you can’t always get what you want, and the local authorities don’t seem to be passionate about such an idea. In the meantime the makers of the current exhibition (and some of the artists) have done their best to give the very different works of art a good place in the lime-tree avenue.

Only the grumpiest of critics would say they haven’t succeeded. Zeger Reyers’ work is of course the kind of surprise one hopes for, as is Dré Wapenaar’s Advanced Sit-Pit.

The revival of corten steel in works by ATMosphere and by Atelier van Lieshout is remarkable. Then there are the more delicate works by Brigitte Spiegeler and Theo Jansen of which one hopes they will survive the exhibition without a scratch.

In short, the Lange Voorhout has regained its status as a good place for a temporary exhibition. Let’s hope this will be the beginning of more to come….

I also visited the Kloosterkerk. Pictures of this visit will be shown in a later post.

Now that you’ve come here, you might as well subscribe to Villa Next Door (top right of the page)!

(Right click to enlarge pictures)

(All links open in new tabs)

Contents of all photographs courtesy to (the estate of) all artists, all owners and to Pulchri Studio, Den Haag

Bertus Pieters

VILLA NEXT DOOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ADVERTISING ON THIS PAGE!!

Dear Bertus, Thank you very much for your reply. If I am able to use the image(s), I will credit…

Dear John, You can download and use both for free. But i would appreciate if you mention my name and…

Dear Bertus, It's been great to look at your many photos of Florence. I would like to ask you if…

Ha Bertus, Een diep filosofisch inzicht. :) Gr Jos

Tag: Pulchri Studio

Voorhout Monumentaal, #2 Kloosterkerk, The Hague

Voorhout Monumentaal; #1 Lange Voorhout, The Hague