Museum of the Moment – The Voorlinden Museum in Wassenaar. There are so many great museums to visit in The Netherlands. This is definitely one of them. In fact, if you love contemporary art and sculpture, then the Voorlinden Museum is a must. I love a trip day out of Amsterdam to discover a museum. So when I saw what was on as a temporary exhibition, I just had to go. The current exhibition is Guiseppe Penone, an Italian artist and sculptor. I had seen one of his exhibitions a few years back and it was still firmly tattooed on my retinas. I loved visiting the Voorlinden museum; there is a lot to see. Here is an overview of the museum and this exhibition.
The Voorlinden Museum
The Voorlinden museum is situation in Wassenaar. Or, to be more precise, on the outskirts of Wassenaar. It’s easy to reach by car, but I don’t own a car, so I took my bike on the train and cycled from The Hague station. It’s a lovely ride, mainly through a couple of large parks. I did not really know what to expect, never having been here before. I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the museum and its lovely architecture. All this is tucked away behind some more traditional-looking Dutch buildings.
The Museum is very new. It opened its doors on the 10th of September 2016. King Willem Alexander inaugurated it, so it must be good! The museum is actually privately owned by Joop van Caldenborgh. Its aim is to collect, manage and exhibit modern and contemporary art to a broad public. It’s a wonderful building with vast volumes – perfect for seeing large artworks. I was very impressed on the outside. Even more so once I was inside.
Guiseppe Penone
Penone is a world-famous artist. His works are often exhibited in the most important art galleries and museums around the world, such as the Pompidou in Paris or The Tate in London. Born in 1947, the artist studied in Turin and still lives there. As a young artist, he was deeply involved with the Arte Povera movement in Italy, which was very active in the late 1960s. The Voorlinden team has been a fan of this artist for a long time. This retrospective (until the 29th of January, so get in there!) is all about nature and the relationship Italians have with it. It works your senses. You can breath in the smell of leather. You can walk shoeless on marble and it gives you a reaction. You get up close and personal with his work. It’s an experience that makes it impossible to forget.
Here is a selection of photos I took during my visit. There are more works to see. My intention with this overview is that you will also want to go and see it. In fact, there are many more brilliant artworks on display from other artists too. All in all, there is a lot to see. I urge you to go and see Penone, because it is really wonderful.
For the Voorlinden Museum tickets, times and access , see the museum website
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