Jochem Hamstra - A Fragment of Life  

Jochem Hamstra (1962, Heerenveen) is a loner, an artist whose work is done in relative isolation. This seclusion does not prevent him from being involved in the world; instead it even seems a prerequisite for aiming at what he considers valuable. Hamstra has a wide  cultural interest – ranging from art, literature, film and poetry to music -, knows his classics and is fully aware of contemporary topics. Fed by an iron self-discipline he has a continuous strong dedication to his oeuvre, which is initially hard to interpret because of its great variety.

This is why the exhibition has a thematic approach, showing fragments of the artist’s development, but in the end also the strong internal coherence. Hamstra works in series, and in each of them he faces new artistic challenges.
In his many walks through the centre of Groningen he is a ‘town comber’ who gathers not only impressions but also materials and found objects. This collage-like approach is a recurring theme in his artistic work, which on the one hand contains autobiographic elements but is also made as anonymous as possible.
Hamstra’s art is in between figurative and abstract, always based on visual perception to which he often adds distorting touches that disturb the image. The artist’s fascination with human urges, life and death are bound together in his many-layered work, which steers clear of mannerism, ostentation and superficialities. This is how the painter reflects on himself and the world around him. Ruthless, raw and direct, but also moving and never without humour or consolation.

The exhibition is accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue (of no less than 176 pages!) with a main text by Susan van den Berg, the curator of the exhibition. Director-curator Han Steenbruggen wrote the foreword, poet and essayist Peter van Lier provided a reflection on Hamstra's most recent work INKARNATIE and it includes two poems by Kees Ouwens. Attention is paid to the development in the painter's work and some of his most important series are extensively discussed, including Rouwkost, Het mooie leven, de Stadsfragmenten and INKARNATIE.

Note: we lended six works to the exhibition. On view till January 29th 2023 in Museum Belvedère, Heerenveen.

Various artists: 31553580 (obsessie/obsession): numbers and schedules

When the world becomes chaotic and intangible, like during a pandemic, many of us attempt to get a handle on reality by reducing it to a series of elementary lines and numbers. The exhibition 31553580 (obsessie/obsession): numbers and schedules explores a craving for structure and logic in our chaotic world. Artworks by Doerte Weber, Eiko Ishizawa, George Widener and Lionel Plak offer solace for the soul, something that connects us all.

The new exhibition at Museum van de Geest | Outsider Art is the result of the first ever collaboration between artist Jan Hoek and curator Hanne Hagenaars. Visitors are actively involved and in the run-up to the exhibition, they are invited to submit their most remarkable lists and schedules. The submissions will be presented at the museum during the exhibition. 31553580 is designed in collaboration with exhibition designer Tariq Heijboer.

The exhibition is a structured entity allowing visitors to escape from the chaotic world outside. Step into an enormous schedule, where the works are exhibited in a large, orderly grid pattern. The gallery texts - handwritten by the curators - connect the artworks logically.

A joint fascination for numbers and schedules previously inspired curators Hanne Hagenaars and Jan Hoek, mother and son, to produce a themed edition for art magazine Mister Motley. Many artists (especially outsider artists) use the strategies of bringing order, devising systems and categorisation in their work. Even without the additional stress of a pandemic, for many people, the world is so overwhelming that it needs to be stripped back to order and abstraction. This has resulted in numerous oeuvres with a flood of unstoppable and ever-growing schedules. Regular artists also produce the most incredible schedules. To some extent, all of us are inclined to capture chaos in schedules. From artists to managers with a fear of failure, to family men undergoing a midlife crisis. With the exhibition 31553580 (obsessie/obsession): numbers and schedules, the guest curators merge the partitioned worlds of ‘insider’, ‘outsider’ and everyone else.

Participating artists:

31553580 (obsessie/obsession): numbers and schedules features work by artists including: Alex Naber, Angel Lartigue, Annesas Appel, Ardian Ramadanovic, De Gasten, Daphne Agten, Doerte Weber, Eiko Ishizawa, Elisa Pinto, Emma Wiersma, Esther Pearl Watson, Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, George Korsmit & Saskia Janssen, Frédéric Bruly Bouabré, George Widener, Georgina Starr, Gijs Assmann, Jan Hoek, Job Koelewijn, Kenny Callens, Kiki Smith, Lien Anckaert, Laura Body, Lionel Plak, Lizzie van Itallie, Lubos Plny, Marit Westerhuis, Melvin Way, Michiel de Jaeger, Pieke Werner, Renske de Greef, Rainbow Soulclub (Mimosa Govert Visser en AMP (Parry Person), Ruben Armando (La pureza del Arte), Ruth van Beek, Shane Drinkwater, Simon Evans, Tobias Tebbe, Toon Teeken & Océane Teeken and Zdenek Kosek.

Note: we lended a work by Tobias Tebbe to the exhibtion, and have also collected works by two other artists in the exhibition: Lionel Plak and Melvin Way. The exhibition runs till August 27th 2023 in Museum van de Geest (Hermitage) in Amsterdam.

Diverse kunstenaars - Leer van vis

‘Ontdek de verrassende en duurzame toepassingen van vissenhuid in de reizende tentoonstelling Leer van vis. Vissenhuid – een restproduct van de visserij – is opvallend ruw en sterk. Daarom wordt het al zo’n 2000 jaar verwerkt in talloze sier- en gebruiksvoorwerpen. Denk aan kleding, tassen, messenheften, bekleding van sabels en bijvoorbeeld moderne kunstuitingen. Verbaas je én steek iets op over de talloze toepassingen van vissenleer! De reizende tentoonstelling is tot 18 december 2022 te zien in het museum op Urk. Lees hier meer over vissenhuid in de mode en de aankomende tentoonstelling.

Note: wij leenden twee werken van Evert de Graaf uit aan de reizende expositie, die hier te zien was/is:

2021

2 september – 31 oktober: Museum Spakenburg

6 november – 2 januari 2022: Museum Schokland

2022

8 januari – 6 maart: Stadsmuseum Harderwijk

14 mei – 10 juli: Wieringer Eilandmuseum Jan Lont

16 juli – 11 september: Waterlandsmuseum de Speeltoren, Monnickendam

17 september – 18 december: Museum Het Oude Raadhuis, Urk

24 december – 25 februari 2023: Huizer Museum, Huizen

2023

4 maart – 21 mei: Museum ’t Fiskerhúske, Moddergat

27 mei – 23 juli: Zuiderzeemuseum, Enkhuizen