Museums, Exhibits and Installations, Oh My!
Greetings readers, widespread and numerous (hi mom!);
I know I mentioned in my last post how I wanted this blog thing to be semi-weekly, but semi-monthly may be more like it. I hope you'll be able to survive without constant updates from the Dutch side of the planet. I'll just have to wish you the best of luck with that endeavor, because school is pretty dang demanding. But here's what I've been up to this last month:
Since writing you last, I went on a school excursion to the Southern part of the Netherlands and Germany. It was extraordinary. We went to over SIXTEEN different museums and exhibits over the course of five days, as a class of over 100 art students. Talk about herding cats- our teachers deserve major props for getting us all through the week without anyone being left, lost, or worse.
I can't possibly convey in words or pictures everything we saw and learned. To make it simple I made a list below of most of the major museums/exhibitions/installations we went to. I even included links! (Because I could write full essays on each one, but I thought I'd save both myself and you from all that trouble). I promise there's more beyond all the links and very respectable information. Unless you're traveling through Europe or just have a strange addiction to reading about museums online, I'm sure you could just skip this list and read on down below.
1. De Groene Kathedraal (The Green Cathedral)
This was a super small town in South Holland with a very well-developed arts program. It offers a small exhibition place (pictured, Yes & No, a work by Rietveld graduate Lucas Lenglet) as well as an ongoing drawing exhibition and a newly built lithograph (a very cool technique for printing) studio.
3. Museum Folkwang- Essen, Germany
Museum Folkwang is a famous museum newly designed by English Architect David Chipperfield, and had a special exhibition called "Dancing with Myself" about artist's self portraits.
4. Kroller-Muller Museum- Otterlo, Netherlands
This museum houses a world-renown collection of works by Van Gogh (including a lot of his early works and sketches, which I'd never seen before) and also has a HUGE sculpture garden. Seriously huge-- you can rent bikes in order to see it all.
5. Tiger and Turtle- Duisberg, Germany
Designed by Ulrich Genth and Heike Mutter, Tiger and Turtle is the only walkable roller coaster in the world.
6. K20- Dusseldorf, Germany
K20 refers to art of the 20th Century. Yes, that IS a Jackson Pollock on the wall you see.
7. K21- Dusseldorf, Germany
K21 refers to work of the 21st Century. This was one of my favorite museums- each artist was given a room to present their artwork, so it was like an artist's amusement park, each room hosting a different museum. The exhibition pictured here wasn't up and running, but it's by an artist who was inspired by spider's webs. You used to be able to sit on that net, six stories above the ground!
8. Museum Ludwig- Cologne, Germany
A 40-year-old museum, Museum Ludwig hosts an impressive array of mostly 20th Century art-- with an especially fantastic collection of pop art! There's also some excellent exhibition by 21st century artists, from the Guerilla Girls to artist's comments on the refugee crisis.
9. Kolumba Museum- Cologne, Germany
Located on the site of an old church, Kolumba Museum is a truly unique museum experience. It mixes centuries-old artwork with uniquely modern works. The architecture was one of my favorites of the trip, by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor.
If you actually are planning on traveling through Europe, you should definitely consider going to one (or all) of these museums.
Out of all the countless Picasso's and Matisse's, I would have to say my favorite was the Palace of Projects. It was a true masterpiece made by a Russian couple, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov.
The couple made this shell shaped building/tent, and inside they "created" countless imaginary people, from countless backgrounds, who "wrote in" their ideas on how to make the world a better place. From "idea gardens" to a public-private oasis, they constructed a charming world full of imaginative ideas for making the world a better place.
The letters were so charming. They look like the image to the left, and included the background of the "person" writing in, along with an illustration of what their idea may look like, and how to put it into practice.
Further, the week wasn't only filled with museums- it was also filled with new friends! I had such a fun time getting to know my classmates better, over cards, through beers and long bus rides. It was an incredibly satisfying week. Almost as satisfying as a german Brauwhuis (brew house) and the excellent bakeries found scattered on Cologne's beautiful streets.
It's now been two weeks since we've come back from the trip, and it's been non-stop since then. Lots of challenging projects, all involving learning new skills and lots of lots of practice. On one side, I wish I had some photos to show you of my art work, but on the other, I don't think I've made anything deserving of a photo yet. I'll keep you up to date when that finally happens.
Also! I had some more visitors from Bend! This group of goobers mark FIFTEEN Bendites who have stopped in to see me in Amsterdam. That's not including all the cool people who I've gotten to show around who are friends-of-friends. So I guess that poses the question: is visiting the Little Wild Wolfe in Amsterdam possibly the hottest thing to do/ when will you be stopping by? I'm taking bookings!
But seriously, traveling really should be on your list of priorities. I feel so blessed to be going to a school which makes me feel like I'm traveling every day. To have classmates from all different corners of the globe (seriously, my class has 17 different nationalities, out of 21 people), and even to be traveling to different countries on school trips. Although I'm super busy, it's the best sort of busy: busy with things I love. I find myself looking forward to every single day as it comes. Even at the end of the day, in complete exhaustion, I am so satisfied and pleased.
Truly, I hope each and every one of you gets to experience life like this at one point or another. Whether through art or travel or whatever pulls at your inner heart strings, I hope you will always have the courage to pursue it. And if it's travel, I dearly hope you'll stop by Amsterdam! If nothing else, I can certainly give you some tips on exactly which museums to visit.
Hope to see you around!
Jessi
I know I mentioned in my last post how I wanted this blog thing to be semi-weekly, but semi-monthly may be more like it. I hope you'll be able to survive without constant updates from the Dutch side of the planet. I'll just have to wish you the best of luck with that endeavor, because school is pretty dang demanding. But here's what I've been up to this last month:
Since writing you last, I went on a school excursion to the Southern part of the Netherlands and Germany. It was extraordinary. We went to over SIXTEEN different museums and exhibits over the course of five days, as a class of over 100 art students. Talk about herding cats- our teachers deserve major props for getting us all through the week without anyone being left, lost, or worse.
 |
| I mean, look at these party animals, neck pillows and all. Photo cred: Dora Lionstone @doralionstone.tumblr.com (also for more amazing photos of this excurion!) |
I can't possibly convey in words or pictures everything we saw and learned. To make it simple I made a list below of most of the major museums/exhibitions/installations we went to. I even included links! (Because I could write full essays on each one, but I thought I'd save both myself and you from all that trouble). I promise there's more beyond all the links and very respectable information. Unless you're traveling through Europe or just have a strange addiction to reading about museums online, I'm sure you could just skip this list and read on down below.
Almere, Netherlands
These trees were planted about 40 years ago in the outline of a cathedral. A very cool natural instalation piece
2. Kunstvereniging Diepenheim- Diepenheim, NetherlandsThese trees were planted about 40 years ago in the outline of a cathedral. A very cool natural instalation piece
This was a super small town in South Holland with a very well-developed arts program. It offers a small exhibition place (pictured, Yes & No, a work by Rietveld graduate Lucas Lenglet) as well as an ongoing drawing exhibition and a newly built lithograph (a very cool technique for printing) studio.
3. Museum Folkwang- Essen, Germany
Museum Folkwang is a famous museum newly designed by English Architect David Chipperfield, and had a special exhibition called "Dancing with Myself" about artist's self portraits.
This museum houses a world-renown collection of works by Van Gogh (including a lot of his early works and sketches, which I'd never seen before) and also has a HUGE sculpture garden. Seriously huge-- you can rent bikes in order to see it all.
Designed by Ulrich Genth and Heike Mutter, Tiger and Turtle is the only walkable roller coaster in the world.
6. K20- Dusseldorf, Germany
K20 refers to art of the 20th Century. Yes, that IS a Jackson Pollock on the wall you see.
K21 refers to work of the 21st Century. This was one of my favorite museums- each artist was given a room to present their artwork, so it was like an artist's amusement park, each room hosting a different museum. The exhibition pictured here wasn't up and running, but it's by an artist who was inspired by spider's webs. You used to be able to sit on that net, six stories above the ground!
A 40-year-old museum, Museum Ludwig hosts an impressive array of mostly 20th Century art-- with an especially fantastic collection of pop art! There's also some excellent exhibition by 21st century artists, from the Guerilla Girls to artist's comments on the refugee crisis.
Located on the site of an old church, Kolumba Museum is a truly unique museum experience. It mixes centuries-old artwork with uniquely modern works. The architecture was one of my favorites of the trip, by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor.
If you actually are planning on traveling through Europe, you should definitely consider going to one (or all) of these museums.
Out of all the countless Picasso's and Matisse's, I would have to say my favorite was the Palace of Projects. It was a true masterpiece made by a Russian couple, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov.
"Everything that we see around us, in the world surrounding us,
everything that we discover in the past, that which possibly could comprise the future-
all of this is a limitless world of projects."
The couple made this shell shaped building/tent, and inside they "created" countless imaginary people, from countless backgrounds, who "wrote in" their ideas on how to make the world a better place. From "idea gardens" to a public-private oasis, they constructed a charming world full of imaginative ideas for making the world a better place.
 |
| "How Can One Change Oneself?" |
The letters were so charming. They look like the image to the left, and included the background of the "person" writing in, along with an illustration of what their idea may look like, and how to put it into practice.
Further, the week wasn't only filled with museums- it was also filled with new friends! I had such a fun time getting to know my classmates better, over cards, through beers and long bus rides. It was an incredibly satisfying week. Almost as satisfying as a german Brauwhuis (brew house) and the excellent bakeries found scattered on Cologne's beautiful streets.
It's now been two weeks since we've come back from the trip, and it's been non-stop since then. Lots of challenging projects, all involving learning new skills and lots of lots of practice. On one side, I wish I had some photos to show you of my art work, but on the other, I don't think I've made anything deserving of a photo yet. I'll keep you up to date when that finally happens.
 |
| Brennen, Ryan, and Ricky, it was great to have you here! |
Also! I had some more visitors from Bend! This group of goobers mark FIFTEEN Bendites who have stopped in to see me in Amsterdam. That's not including all the cool people who I've gotten to show around who are friends-of-friends. So I guess that poses the question: is visiting the Little Wild Wolfe in Amsterdam possibly the hottest thing to do/ when will you be stopping by? I'm taking bookings!
But seriously, traveling really should be on your list of priorities. I feel so blessed to be going to a school which makes me feel like I'm traveling every day. To have classmates from all different corners of the globe (seriously, my class has 17 different nationalities, out of 21 people), and even to be traveling to different countries on school trips. Although I'm super busy, it's the best sort of busy: busy with things I love. I find myself looking forward to every single day as it comes. Even at the end of the day, in complete exhaustion, I am so satisfied and pleased.
Truly, I hope each and every one of you gets to experience life like this at one point or another. Whether through art or travel or whatever pulls at your inner heart strings, I hope you will always have the courage to pursue it. And if it's travel, I dearly hope you'll stop by Amsterdam! If nothing else, I can certainly give you some tips on exactly which museums to visit.
Hope to see you around!
Jessi
 |
| Season's greetings! xoxo |
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