Open Air Museum De Lakenhal: 100 Years After De Stijl

2nd June till 27th August 2017

The Unique Summer Exhibition of 2017 in Leiden

Leiden Takes Stock 100 Years After De Stijl

Museum De Lakenhal takes stock of Theo van Doesburg’s philosophy 100 years after the foundation of De Stijl. ‘Open Air Museum De Lakenhal: 100 Years After De Stijl’ shows us how contemporary artists give meaning to the abstract art. Twenty international artists have created large, monumental ‘Wall Paintings’ on the Pieterskerkhof in Leiden.

Contrary Motion (2017)
Contrary Motion (2017) Sketch design by Gilbert Hsiao

Icon of Modernity

In 2017, Leiden celebrates the centennial of Theo van Doesburg creating ‘De Stijl’ in Leiden. What started as a magazine’s title has eventually become the icon of modernity worldwide. This Dutch art movement has shaken the international art world to its core.

In 1917, Theo van Doesburg collected a group of like-minded artists around him, among which Piet Mondriaan, Bart van der Leck and J.J.P. Oud. Together, they have published the magazine De Stijl and designed from a profound innovativeness. To this day, the influence of De Stijl can be seen in many ways within the idiom of artists, architects and designers, but also on a substantial level the quest for a universal language is still a topical issue.

International Artists

The twenty international artists that participate in Open Air Museum De Lakenhal are all part of artists’ initiative IS-Projects, founded by guest-curators Iemke van Dijk and Guido Winkler. Fully compatible with the De Stijl-philosophy, the collective comprises a network of artists that avoids any reference to the visual reality. All artists, including Brent Hallard (Australia), Gilbert Hsiao (USA), Linda Arts (NL) and Jan van der Ploeg (NL), have created their ‘Wall Paintings’ especially for De Lakenhal Open Air Museum. View all participating artists.

Untitled 2017
Untitled 2017 Sketch design by Terry Haggerty

Guest Curators Iemke van Dijk and Guido Winkler

Artists Iemke van Dijk (Wassenaar, 1969) and Guido Winkler (Alblasserdam, 1969) have founded the artists’ initiative IS-Projects in October of 2007. As a stage for contemporary concrete art, the IS-Projects were swiftly much valued from Sydney to San Francisco. Van Dijk and Winkler, being curators and artists, are part of a large international network indebted to De Stijl.

Mondriaan as a map

Part of the painting Compositie in Lijn (1917) by Piet Mondriaan serves as a map for Open Air Museum De Lakenhal.

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Top view of Open Air Museum De Lakenhal, with the Pieterskerkhof in the centre, over which a detail of Mondriaan’s ‘Compositie in Lijn’ is projected. The Pieterskerk is situated on the right.
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An Impression of the Open Air Museum De Lakenhal
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’Compositie in Lijn ‘, second state (1916-1917), Piet Mondriaan. Collection of the Kröller-Müller Museum

Practical Information

  • 2nd June-27th August 2017
  • Location: Pieterskerkhof, Leiden
  • Opening Hours: 24/7
  • Entry: Free

Free Tours and Lectures

During Open Air Museum De Lakenhal (2nd June till 27th August 2017) at the Pieterskerkhof in Leiden, free hop-on/hop-off tours are provided every Sunday at 2pm. The tour takes about an hour. There’s no need to sign up. Meeting place is the Old School, 4A Pieterskerkhof. The main language will be Dutch.

Booking a tour with a private group is of course part of the options as well (which can be given in both Dutch and English). For more information and bookings, please contact boekingen@lakenhal.nl or dial (0031-)(0)71-5165357.

Activities in relation to Open Air Museum De Lakenhal

View the entire activity program regarding the Open Air Museum De Lakenhal.

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