First acquisition by director Rein Wolfs is announced
News — Dec 7, 2019
The Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam presents the first acquisitions by Rein Wolfs, who took up his directorate on Monday 2 December. These latest additions to the collection offer a sneak peek of the brand new director’s vision. The work of these six artists bring new stories and perspectives to the Stedelijk collection.
ANNA UDDENBERG
The work of Swedish artist Anna Uddenberg examines the representation of femininity, which is encoded by systems ingrained into our society. Her work has been widely exhibited, including presentations at the Berlin Biennale and Manifesta 11.
Rein Wolfs: “While it may be seductive, Anna Uddenberg's installation challenges the viewer to question traditional readings of femininity. Associations with #metoo and sexual exploitation are rife. The woman is reduced to a commodity, the viewer a voyeur."
The new purchase Precarious Patricia joins the work on display in the Hybrid Sculpture exhibit in room 0.27.
REMY JUNGERMAN
In his work, the Dutch-Surinamese artist Remy Jungerman draws parallels between the geometric designs of the Maroon in Suriname and the Western tradition of Modernism. By doing so, he forges connections between multiple histories, and enables viewers to reframe their perspective.
Rein Wolfs: “The last time the Stedelijk purchased work by this artist was in the late 1990s. This year, he staged an incredible exhibit at the Venice Biennale, and we are proud to be able to add recent work by Remy Jungerman to the collection.”
WALID RAAD
Walid Raad is a Lebanese-American artist who works in a wide variety of media, including video, photography and essays. His work offers a sharp, critical, engaged and often witty scrutiny of the complexity of the Lebanese civil wars (1975-1991) and recent developments in the burgeoning art world of the Middle East.
Rein Wolfs: "Last summer, the Stedelijk hosted Walid Raad’s first solo show. It was from this exhibition, which was hailed as a huge success, that the museum purchased this ominous yet dazzlingly relevant work by the Lebanese storyteller."
PATRICIA KAERSENHOUT
Patricia Kaersenhout is a Dutch visual artist. She draws on her Surinamese heritage to investigate the African diaspora and colonialism in relation to Western European culture. Political topics such as feminism, gender, sexuality, racism and the history of slavery are at the core of the varied works that compose her oeuvre.
Rein Wolfs: “Collecting female artists has long been a spearhead of the Stedelijk’s collection policy. A new facet of our strategy involves undertaking more research into the Caribbean. Kaersenhout invites us to take a critical, self-reflective approach to this (art) history, for which reason her work represents a significant addition to our collection.”
LOUIS BOGTMAN
The cabinet made by Louis Bogtman in 1925 is a fascinating example of how Dutch design integrated a traditional craft that evolved in Asia. This cabinet is the most monumental work that Bogtman created using the batik technique.
Rein Wolfs: "The museum owns a number of small items produced by the Bogtman family workshops, but this is the first large piece to join our collection. Bogtman’s work is sparingly represented in other museum collections in the Netherlands, making this purchase a wonderful asset for the Dutch state art collection.”
The cabinet was included in the large survey exhibition overview Living in the Amsterdam School and as of next spring, will be on display in the exhibition From Thonet to Dutch Design - 125 years living at the Stedelijk.
ETEL ADNAN
Etel Adnan is a Lebanese-American artist, writer and poet. She published the influential novel Sitt Marie-Rose, which was translated into over ten languages, and has presented her work at international festivals including Documenta 13 and the Whitney Biennial.
Rein Wolfs: “The work of Etel Adnan clearly shows that significant abstract art movements evolved in regions other than North America and Europe. I am delighted that we have been able to add two works by this 94-year-old artist to our collection.”
These acquisitions were possible thanks to the generous support of the Mondrian Fund, the BankGiro Loterij, Stedelijk Circle and Young Stedelijk.
