Art collection at the Netherlands Residence - Singapore
Art collection at the Netherlands Residence
With the recent renovations the art collection at the Netherlands Residence Singapore was refreshed. Emphasis was put on works by Dutch contemporary photographers. Works of Dutch visual artists Jeroen Hofman, Helena van der Kraan, Jasmijn Krol, Wilma Kuil, Katja Mater, Hans van der Meer, Erwin Olaf, Margriet Smulders, Janneke Viegers and Hans Wilschut found a home in Singapore.
Here we highlight four artists and their works at the Netherlands Residence.
Jeroen Hofman
The Netherlands, 1976
Who is Jeroen Hofman?
Born in 1976 in Beek and Donk, The Netherlands, Hofman has a particular method of documenting: working from up high, standing on an elevated platform. The trouble of renting a hydraulic hoist for every shoot pays off: seen from a bird’s eye view, the architecture of the parks, or the vastness and tranquility of the islands, become clearly visible. It’s a height at which you can no longer understand what the people below are saying and the birds above you are just out of reach.
Het Park (2016) and Kralingse Plas (2017)
Both works belong to Hofman’s PARK series and were taken in the city of Rotterdam. Parks are of tremendous importance to almost every city. They are the city’s ‘green lungs’. Not only do they provide ‘breathing space’ by functioning as collective backyards for the otherwise cramped-for-space ‘urban inhabitants’, they also cater to many of their other needs in such areas as Sports, Recreation and Nature. With people from many different cultural backgrounds (and different generations) using them for a myriad of activities, the city’s parks have become colorful mosaics.
Both works are hanging in the dining room of the Netherlands Residence Singapore, opposite each other. ‘Kralingse Plas’ reminds the ambassador of ‘East Coast Park’. Both are beautiful, welcoming leisure areas for the general public. Also, Singapore and Rotterdam are cities with many similarities and many collaborations. Hofman’s works assist the ambassador during lunches and dinners to speak about topics such as sustainability, the city in green, infrastructure and smart cities.
Jasmijn Krol
The Netherlands, 1988
Who is Jasmijn Krol?
Jasmijn Krol studied Fine Art in Breda, the Netherlands and got an MA in Multimedial Design in Gent, Belgium. As an artist she mainly uses video, performance and photography. She plays with different themes like the passing of time, capturing moments and framing movement. By the use of multiple layers, rhythm and transparency she creates her works.
Ragazzi (2017)
This trilogy of works was created in Turin, Italy when Krol was touring by car through France, Italy and Switzerland. She is fascinated by water and the movement of people in public spaces. You can often find her at city squares, preferably near fountains and she loves to catch light in water drops. In Ragazzi there is no main character and no hierarchy. All elements play an equally important part and coincidence is a determining factor. Ragazzi has become a trilogy to illustrate that in just a split second a completely different image can be created. The passing of time framed in an art work.
The three works of the young female artist are placed side by side in the salon of the Netherlands Residence Singapore. They are a nice example of the power of perspective. And that being the perspective of water. The Dutch have a special perspective towards water since one third of the country is below sea level.
A bonus is that in these works you can subtly spot the Dutch national colour: orange.
Hans van der Meer
The Netherlands, 1955
Who is Hans van der Meer?
Van der Meer was born in Leimuiden, the Netherlands in 1955. He studied photography at the MTS School for Photography; he then attended the National Academy for Visual Arts in Amsterdam. Van der Meer is a documentary photographer and writer who contributed with columns in Dutch daily newspapers NRC Handelsblad and de Volkskrant. He has published many photography books.
The Cow – Beyond Grazing – Time to Change (2015 – 2018)
In 2015 Van der Meer was commissioned by the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam to create a contemporary image of the Dutch Cow that could be placed alongside existing work from the museum’s collection. In 2016 exhibition The Cow took place at the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden which was organized in a collaboration with the Nederlands Fotomuseum. 2017 saw the booklaunch of The Cow’s Paradise, containing portraits of cows. In 2018 the exhibition The Cow – Beyond Grazing in the Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar took place showing the final presentation of Van der Meer’s project around the Changing World of the Dutch Cow. Parallel the book Time to Change was released.
The nine photos of Dutch Cows presented at the Netherlands Residence Singapore can be found in the book Time to Change. They are showcased in the stairwell leading to the second floor of the house. Not only are they a conversation starter on the worldwide debate on a proper balance between food production and good stewardship. But they also tell a story on diversity and its importance in today’s society. All cows have a different colour, but all are Dutch.
Source: Het moet anders - De veranderende wereld van de Nederlandse koe, Hans van der Meer by Paradox - issuu
Hans Wilschut
The Netherlands, 1966
Who is Hans Wilschut?
Hans Wilschut was born in Rotterdam. He is a photographer and visual artist. He specializes in urban and industrial landschapes, often photographed by night and from surprising angles. His photographs are lyric reflections on the increasingly built-up surroundings. An underlying social theme can be found in his photographic work. Among his books are Centraal (2014), Still Motion (2010) and Hidden Harbour (2010)
Ikoon, Gouda (2017)
This photo depicts the old Gouda City Hall. It was part of the Museum Gouda exhibition Gouda van 1562 tot 2017. Upon invitation of Museum Gouda Hans Wilschut produced a series of photos on the City of Gouda. For the 2017/2018 exhibition Hans connected his photos to art pieces from the museum’s collection.
Most Singaporeans know Gouda for its cheese and caramel waffles. A replica of Gouda City Hall was the highlight of the December 2020 Poinsettia Wishes exhibition at the Flower Dome in Gardens by the Bay.