Well Made

In 2017, Kunstschrift celebrates its 40th anniversary, prompting Kunsthal KAdE to organize an exhibition in conjunction with the magazine: on the magic of making artworks through the ages. In the themed issues of Kunstschrift, making has been one of the editors' focuses for years. In the exhibition, this is reflected in a surprising array of artworks that shed special light on material and technique, craftsmanship, ideation and studio practice. The exhibition is on view from January 21 to April 17 (Easter Monday) 2017.

Ode to the making process

As such, the exhibition "Well Made" is above all an ode to the process of making.
Inspiration, craftsmanship, materials, techniques and the intimate union between head and hand: through the work of painters, draughtsmen, sculptors, photographers and filmmakers from different countries, movements and periods of Western art history, we show all kinds of aspects of the creative process.

Artist at work

In the main exhibition space, the focus is on the heart of the matter: the artist at work. The maker in his studio, captured in paintings, films and photographs. Nine contemporary Dutch artists show their work here, and talk about their working process in a series of lectures. To know: Eelco Brand (NL, 1969) | Henk van den Bosch (NL, 1960) | Marcel van Eeden (NL, 1965) | Ruud van Empel (NL, 1958) | Jan Hamstra (NL, 1993) | Heringa/Van Kalsbeek (NL, 1966 / NL, 1962) | Jan Koen Lomans (NL, 1978) | Jacobien de Rooij (NL, 1947) | Simon Schrikker (NL, 1973).
The heart of the space consists of an installation by visual artist Patty Struik, which depicts the inspiration phase, of thinking in images, free associating, dreaming and connecting.

Mythological stories

The cabinets examine how art is created through mythological stories. The urge to create an image that lives and breathes by Pygmalion, the birth of painting through the story of Butades, the heaven-defying ambition portrayed by Icarus, the power of optical illusion in the stories of Apelles and Zeuxis, and Prometheus as teacher and inventor, who managed to breathe life into a lump of clay. The works in the cabinets refer, subtly or explicitly, to the meaning of these mythologies. Visual artist Niek Hendrix creates installations to accompany them.

Off/Off

The exhibition continues with a room on the question of completion. Throughout history, many works of art remained unfinished for many reasons: artistic incapacity, disagreement with the commissioner, political upheavals or the death of the creator. Such works tell a lot about what takes place prior to the completion of a work of art. They also often have, precisely because of their unpolished form, a beauty of their own. And when is a work of art "finished"? There are different opinions on this throughout the history of art.

Getting started yourself

A studio will be set up in the exhibition space where visitors can work on their own and where master classes and workshops will be held. 

Dutch masters

In the film cabinet, we are showing "Dutch Masters in the 21st Century," a series of film portraits by renowned directors in which important Dutch artists of today talk about their work. This look behind the scenes offers insight into the artists, their working methods, use of materials and their ideas about art. 

Participating artists and filmmakers

Artists
August Allebé (NL, 1838-1927) | Dan Asher (US, 1947-2010) | Gérard Audran (FR, 1640-1703) | John Baldessari (US, 1931) | Stephan Balkenhol (DE, 1957) | Charles Barque (FR, 1826/27-1883) | Francesco Bartolozzi (IT, 1727-1815) | Anthon Beeke (NL, 1940) | Matthias van Beveren (BE,1620-1696) | Johannes Bosboom (NL, 1817-1891) | Henk van den Bosch (NL, 1960) | John Bock (DE, 1965) | Abraham Bosse (FR, 1602/04-1676) | Eelco Brand (NL, 1969) | Mattheus Ignatius van Bree (BE, 1773-1839) | Jacob van Campen (NL, 1596-1657) | Albert Caullet (BE, 1875-1950) | Joost Conijn (NL, 1971) | Kees van Dongen (NL, 1877-1968) | Stan Douglas (CA, 1960) | Albrecht Dürer (DE, 1471-1528) | Marcel van Eeden (NL, 1965) | Ger van Elk (NL, 1941-2014) | Ruud van Empel (NL, 1958) | Étienne-Maurice Falconet (CH, 1716-1791) | Willem de Famars Testas (NL, 1834-1896) | Hans Peter Feldmann (DE, 1941) | Edgar Fernhout (NL, 1912-1974) | Simon Fokke (NL, 1712-1784) | Frans Franciscus (NL, 1959) | Guido Geelen (NL, 1961) | Tolga Girgin (TR, 1981) | Jacques Louis Godineau (BE, 1811-1873) | Hendrick Goltzius (BE, 1558-1617) | Zohar Gotesman (IL, 1979) | David Groot (NL, 1949) | Jan Hamstra (NL, 1993) | Duane Hanson (US, 1925-1998) | Claire Harvey (UK, 1976) | Henriette Heise (DK, 1965) | Niek Hendrix (NL, 1985) | Heringa/Van Kalsbeek (NL, 1966 / NL, 1962) | W.B. van Heusden (NL, 1896-1982) | Teun Hocks (NL, 1947) | Cor Hund (NL, 1915-2008) | John Kacere (US, 1920-1999) | Dick Ket (NL, 1902-1940) | Micha Klein (NL, 1964) | Axel van der Kraan (NL, 1949) and Helena van der Kraan (PL, 1940) | Romy Joya Kuliph Singh (NL, 1993) | Friedrich Kunath (DE, 1974) | Gerard de Lairesse (BE, 1641-1711) | Birthe Leemeijer (NL, 1972) | Couzijn van Leeuwen (NL, 1959) | Jan Koen Lomans (NL, 1978) | Adriaan Johannes Madiol (NL, 1845-1927) | Mark Manders (NL, 1968) | Matthijs Maris (NL, 1839-1917) | James McArdell (IE, 1729?-1765) | Atelier W. Mengelberg | Meester van Koudewater (NL, 2nd half of the 15th century) | Cornelis van der Meulen (NL, 1642-1691) | Ugo Mulas (IT,1928-1973) | Emmanuel Jean Nepomucene de Ghendt (BE, 1738-1815) | Martijn van Nieuwenhuyzen (NL,1958) | David Oyens (NL 1842-1902) | Panamarenko (BE, 1940) | Bernard Picart (FR 1673-1733 | Sascha Pohle (DE, 1972) | Paulus Pontius (BE, 1603-1658) | Jos van Riswick (NL, 1973) | Suze Robertson (NL, 1855-1922) | Jacobien de Rooij (NL, 1947) | Martha Rosler (US, 1943) | Ary Scheffer (NL 1795-1858) | Hermann Scherer (DE 1893 - 1927) | Simon Schrikker (NL, 1973) | Martine Stig (NL, 1972) | Johannes Stradanus (BE, 1523-1605) | Patty Struik (NL, 1962) | Joseph-Benoit Suvée (BE, 1743-1807) | Patrick Van Caeckenbergh (BE, 1960) | Kees Verwey (NL, 1900-1995) | Carel Visser (NL, 1928, -2015) | Joos Vincent de Vos (BE,1829-1875) | Elisabeth Geertruida Wassenbergh (NL, 1729-1781) | Hendrike Louise Wesseling (NL, 1914-1995) | Willem Wits (NL, 1989) | W.A. Witsen (NL, 1860-1923) | Sol LeWitt (US, 1928-2007) | Hendrik Jan Wolter (NL, 1873-1952) | Yin Xunzhi (CH, 1968) | Jan van der Zee (NL, 1898-1988)

Filmmakers
Hans Cürlis (DE, 1889-1982) | Rudolf Evenhuis /Joost Verhey /Eugene van den Bosch (NL) | Paul Falkenberg (DE, 1903-1986) | Paul Haesaerts (BE, 1901-1974) | filmmakers Dutch Masters | Derek Jarman (UK, 1942-1994) | Sherman De Jesus (CW, 1947) | John Lasseter (US, 1957) | Charles Matton (FR, 1931-2008) | Agnes Merlet (FR, 1959) | Vincente Minelli (US, 1903-1986) | Hans Namuth (DE, 1915-1990) | Bruno Nuytten (FR, 1945) | Pier Paolo Pasolini (IT, 1922-1975) | Jacques Rivette (FR, 1928-2016) | Julian Schnabel (US, 1951) | Joost Verhey (NL, 1950) | Jan Vrijman (NL, 1925-1997)

Catalog

A special edition of Kunstschrift, entitled Well made, an ode to the making process, will be published to accompany the exhibition. € 10,75. For sale in the KAdEShop, in bookstores or available via www.kunstschrift.nl

About Art Writing

Art Journal is the bimonthly journal of art and art history. The first issue of Kunstschrift appeared in January 1977. The magazine grew out of the famous Openbaar kunstbezit, which started in 1957 with discussions on the radio of one work of art in a Dutch public collection each time. From its inception, Kunstschrift has been a thematic journal, bridging the gap between the world of art historical research and that of the interested public - in keeping with its history.