News — Mar 2, 2011

The Stedelijk Museum continues its temporary program with Temporary Stedelijk 2, which focuses on the renowned collection of modern and contemporary art and design. Selections from the collections are presented in innovative ways within the current conditions of the building. Making Histories: Changing Views of the Collection highlights the breadth of the museum’s collection, including both renowned and lesser-known works and recent acquisitions, while distinctive aspects of the collection are highlighted in two thematic presentations: Recollections and TV as… . To encourage exploration and expand upon the content of the exhibition, the Stedelijk has developed a multi-faceted program of public and education events.

Making Histories: Changing Views of the Collection

Making Histories: Changing Views of the Collection explores how a museum
collection constructs and embodies histories to be reconsidered over time,
offering various views into the museum’s own history and its collections
right up to the present day, through monographic installations of individual
works or bodies of work by key artists and designers, thematic surveys,
archival research projects, special projects and recent acquisitions. The
exhibition showcases the breadth of the museum’s collections, which include
over 90,000 works of painting, sculpture, photography, film, video, works
on paper, artist’s books, applied arts and industrial and graphic design. As
selections from the collections are presented on a rotating basis, returning
visitors will have the opportunity to see different works over the coming
months.

The climate-controlled Hall of Honor features iconic works from the collection,
offering various perspectives on abstract painting, with works from the
20th-century painting is exemplified in the work of Piet Mondrian, while
works by Kazimir Malevich are purely abstract. Color and autonomous form
distinguish works by Jo Baer, Ellsworth Kelly, Brice Marden and Barnett
Newman. The centerpiece of this presentation is The Parakeet and the
Mermaid (1952–53), the renowned paper cutout by Henri Matisse, which is
flanked by the intense gold and deep blue of paintings by Yves Klein.
A stunning installation of works using fluorescent light by Dan Flavin occupies
the hall of the upper floor. Originally commissioned by the Stedelijk Museum,
these works were first presented in this same location in 1986. Titled untitled
(to Piet Mondrian through his preferred colors, red, yellow and blue) and
untitled (to Piet Mondrian who lacked green), these works were conceived
by Flavin to be in dialogue with Mondrian, the history of modern art and the
museum’s distinctive architecture.

A number of gallery spaces are devoted to individual artists and designers.
Works by Carl Andre, Lothar Baumgarten, Barbara Bloom, Ger van Elk,
Donald Judd, Willem de Kooning, Bruce Nauman, Allen Ruppersberg,
Willem Sandberg, Wieki Somers, Fiona Tan, Charley Toorop and Marijke van
Warmerdam, among others, will be on view.

The Stedelijk Museum’s collection is also distinguished by its extensive
holdings of applied arts and design, from which a special selection is
presented. A collection of tableware will be on show, with services, flatware
and accessories. Following two recently acquired aluminum chairs by Wieki Somers, the museum has dedicated one special room to the design of metal furniture, both modern classics and contemporary pieces by, among others, Ron Arad, Xavier Lust and Gerrit Rietveld. Four consecutive galleries
host a presentation of work by important young designers, including striking pieces of jewelry by Karl Fritsch and Manon van Kouswijk and experimental industrial design by Joris Laarman.
In the field of graphic design, one room is dedicated to exceptional manuscripts by former museum director Willem Sandberg—made during World War II (when, as a member of the resistance, he was in hiding) that clearly anticipates later signatures of his design work. Another gallery features
a selection of extraordinary Cuban posters from the 1970s that evoke the Castro revolution.

Projects

The Stedelijk Museum has always been a platform for the creation of new
work and a showcase for the latest developments in contemporary art.
In Temporary Stedelijk 2, two gallery spaces are devoted to special projects,
beginning with those by Iranian artist Nairy Baghramian (b. 1971, lives and
works in Berlin) and Italian artist Piero Golia (b. 1974, lives and works in
Los Angeles).

TV as…

The Stedelijk Museum has a long and distinguished history of collecting and
exhibiting video and television-based art. TV as… highlights a selection of work
from the collection focused primarily on the 1970s and 80s, when television
became a dominant mode of communication. TV as… features works familiar
from past exhibitions, including those by Dara Birnbaum, Nam June Paik,
Bruce Nauman and Gerry Schum, alongside lesser-known works by
Piotr Kowalski and Leendert Janzée that are on view here for the first time
since they were acquired.

Recollections

Recollections revisits some of the Stedelijk’s most esteemed exhibitions,
which continue to stimulate research and discussion decades later.
This presentation looks at two exhibitions from the period during which
Willem Sandberg was director of the museum (1945–1963): Bewogen
Beweging (1961) and Dylaby (1962). In addition to archival materials,
catalogues and posters, as well as photographs and films by Ed van
der Elsken about each exhibition, Recollections includes works drawn from
the collection by such luminary participating artists as Alexander Calder,
Robert Rauschenberg and Jean Tinguely.

Recent Acquisitions

Three of the ground floor galleries present recent acquisitions—including
purchases and artwork donated by private collectors. The first presentation
spotlights recent acquisitions of works by Paul Chan, Mike Kelley and
Cady Noland. Opening on May 10, a selection from the 63 works of art
generously donated to the museum by Maurice van Valen will be on view
in these galleries.

Temporary Bookstore

Temporary Stedelijk 2 also introduces the Temporary Bookstore, which
is located next to the entrance lobby and auditorium and is managed by
Koenig Books.

Public Program and Education

To encourage exploration and expand upon the content of the exhibition,
the Stedelijk continues its multi-faceted program of activities and events
comprising lectures, symposia, performances, film evenings and other events.
From Thursdays through Sundays there will be a range of activities, including
Gallery Talks by experts, collection close-ups with curators and conservators,
sharing their latest research projects, artists sharing their views on their work,
book presentations, live music—and much more.

An extensive and animated education program offers workshops and guided
tours for children, families, youth, adults and schools.

All activities are free of charge with valid entrance ticket.

Temporary Stedelijk is made possible by
Rabobank (main sponsor).
Lead support from mr. R.H. Defares.
Major support is provided by Métamatic Research Initiative (project sponsor
Recollections), Ribbink–van den Hoek family, de Bruin–Heijn family, an
anonymous donor and the municipality of Amsterdam.