Exhibition - H'ART Museum
Kandinsky
A must-see in H’ART Museum and for a limited time only: Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944). His abstract paintings full of organic and hybrid shapes are instantly recognizable, but did you know this master of modern art started out as a figurative artist?
Immerse yourself in his fascinating journey through (art) history, and experience Kandinsky like never before. Over 60 masterpieces in the exhibition tell a personal story about his life, spanning various countries, historical events and art movements. This show is the first result of a unique collaboration with the Parisian art museum Centre Pompidou, the home base of this remarkable collection.
Dutch national newspapers awarded this ‘amazing’ exhibition with four (★★★★ —de Volkskrant) and five (● ● ● ● ● —NRC) stars.
Step into the world of Kandinsky now and experience it firsthand.
Kandinsky is on view until Sunday 10 November 2024. Tickets available here.
Contemporary artists in the exhibition
Sound Atmospheres: experience music the way Kandinsky did
Kandinsky felt a deep connection with music. He experienced color palettes as ‘visual chords’ and used sounds as inspiration for his work. Interdisciplinary artist Søren Siebel created a unique ‘soundwalk’ especially for the Kandinsky exhibition, called Imagining the Current-Futurenow. Combining vocal prompts, immersive soundscapes, and original compositions by five contemporary sound artists and a performance artist, this soundwalk creates a captivating dialogue between audio and visuals.
Sound Atmospheres – the audio tour – is an integral part of the exhibition. In addition, there are 12 exclusive Soundwalk events with live performances.
Meet Kandinsky through videos and animations
How would Kandinsky speak if he were alive today? What kinds of conversations would we have with him? Interdisciplinary artist Bink van Vollenhoven imagined this dialogue by bringing the master of modern art to life in videos (featuring actor Sander Plukaard). Inspired by the personal stories behind the artworks, Bink plays with both past and present.
For children aged 5 to 9, Bink also created a special junior installation. Through six interactive animations (designed by Joey Habets), they get to know the master that was Kandinsky.
These videos and animations are a permanent part of the exhibition.
About Wassily Kandinsky: pioneer of abstract art
Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) is one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Which is remarkable, as he only starts painting at the age of 30. After a brief career in law and economics, Kandinsky leaves Russia for Munich (Germany), in 1896 to take painting lessons. This marks the start of his artistic career. While in Munich, he travels to places like the Netherlands, Tunisia, Italy, and Paris. When war breaks out in 1914, Kandinsky leaves Germany, only to return in 1921.
The following year, in 1922, Kandinsky starts teaching at the revolutionary Bauhaus art school in Weimar, Germany. During this period, he produces many of his (watercolor) paintings. In 1933, the Nazis force the school to close, so Kandinsky and his wife Nina once again pack their bags and move to Paris. There he spends the rest of his life, until he passes in the Parisian suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine in December 1944.
This exhibition takes you on a journey through Kandinsky’s artistic and personal life, from his early abstract works created in Munich and his return to Moscow during World War I, to his time teaching at the Bauhaus and his final years in Paris. Learn about his role in the artist group Der Blaue Reiter, surround yourself by the life-sized Salon de Réception (1922), and experience the role of music in his work with a special soundwalk tour. Trace Kandinsky’s footsteps through time and discover why this extraordinary artist is still considered a pioneer of abstract art.
H'ART Museum's first exhibition in collaboration with Centre Pompidou
Kandinsky is the first exhibition in a unique collaboration with the Parisian art museum Centre Pompidou. Over 60 works traveled to Amsterdam for this show: a rare opportunity to see the renowned artist in a different setting.
A highlight in the exhibition is the reconstruction of the Salon de Réception, featuring murals that Kandinsky created with his students in Berlin in 1922. The original was lost, but this reproduction was built especially for the opening of Centre Pompidou in 1977.
For the first time reconstructed in Amsterdam and on special display at H’ART Museum.