Miraculous Beings

To mark the 75th anniversary of DierenPark Amersfoort, Kunsthal KAdE will present the exhibition "Miraculous Beings" this summer. The exhibition will focus on the following questions. How is the unknown shaped in this day and age? Where does wonder lie today? And what responsibilities do we as humans have towards animals? 

Miraculous creatures 
People have been interested in the extraordinary animals that roam the earth for centuries. In Greek and Roman times, travelers told of the "wild" animals they encountered during their distant travels. Based on these encounters, with the then unknown animals, the most miraculous stories soon circulated.  

Long necks and razor-sharp teeth 
For example, they were said to have razor-sharp tusks, enormously long necks and wild manes. Descriptions that captured the imagination of many people. The drawings made in response to these stories were therefore full of fantasy. After all, hardly anyone had ever seen these animals in real life. Curiosity about these mysterious animals led to pictures, cabinets of curiosities, dioramas and eventually zoos so that everyone could see the strange animals with their own eyes.    

Art about and for animals 
The second floor of Kunsthal KAdE now features new and existing work by artists reflecting on these earliest forms of "scientific" research on animals. In the main hall, a new look at animals threatened with extinction is presented. And three artists have designed a diorama. Artworks from this exhibition will also be on display in DierenPark Amersfoort. Artists have been asked to create new work especially for the animal enclosures. The work can challenge visitors to look with new eyes, but can also be an addition for the animals themselves. Think of a feeder, play object or hiding place.    

Are you curious about the exhibition? Miraculous Beings is from June 3 to September 3 to be seen in Kunsthal KAdE and in Amersfoort Zoo.