Museum Week in the Netherlands
From April 20-26 the Netherlands hosts National Museum Week. Although all museum doors are closed and we are bound to our homes, we can bring the outside world in! Luckily we have books! Below you can find a few tips for you to enjoy all that we have to offer in art and design in books and online.
Rijksmuseum
Innovatively and provocatively, Rembrandt turned the art world upside down in the Golden Age. His poignant works and his life story continue to inspire and move the world 350 years after his death. In Rembrandt. Biography of a Rebel, Jonathan Bikker describes the highs and lows of Rembrandt’s life in an accessible way, opening up the genius of Rembrandt’s character and the innovative qualities of his work to the general public. You will not get any closer to Rembrandt than this! Read all about Rembrandt in this authorative biography and listen to the Rijksmuseum Podcast series on Rembrandt (Dutch).
The Rijksmuseum is home to the world’s largest collection of Rembrandt’s paintings, including The Night Watch, The Jewish Bride, The Syndics and the impressive portraits of the couple Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit. Rembrandt X Rijksmuseum presents 22 paintings and 60 drawings, as well as the 300 most beautiful etchings in this collection.
Museum De Lakenhal
Since its reopening, 380 years to the day from its original completion, Museum de Lakenhal in Leiden has been hailed as a landmark project, both for its radical and meticulous approach to weaving 21st century architecture into a centuries old fabric, as well as for its fully integrated vision of what a present day museum experience can be. Young Dutch architecture bureau Happel Cornelisse Verhoeven Architects teamed up with internationally renowned restauration specialists Julian Harrap Architects to deliver a fully reinvented, high-performing and future oriented museum that nevertheless honours history.
The book Museum De Lakenhal A Portrait documents the result, with stunning images by photographer Karin Borghouts and a thoughtful essay by architecture critic Koen van Synghel and museum director Meta Knol.
Groninger Museum
Haven't seen the Mondo Mendini exhibition yet? Visit the Groninger Museum from your home and enjoy the colorfull world of Alessandro Mendini.
More than anybody else, Mendini believed in the collaboration of creative minds and the importance of imagination. ‘Mondo Mendini’ is a colourful, visually overwhelming mix of visual art, design and architecture.
EYE Filmmuseum
Like all other museums, Eye Filmmuseum has had to close its doors. While we're all spending more time indoors, let's continue to celebrate cinema. Check out the quarantine home cinema tips by the staff of EYE Filmmuseum!
Recently published in collaboration with EYE: Francis Alÿs - Childrens Games. This book captivatingly portrays the ways in which children all over the world create their own world of games and leisure. Chantal Akerman - Passages is a monument for the iconic film director and visual artist Chantal Akerman (1950-2015) and her cinematographic homage to the intensity of daily life.