ABOUT – ENGLISH

Dutch masters on the streets of Amsterdam

Foundation ‘Meesters op Straat’ has started the pilot project of an open air exhibition in de Pijp in spring 2014.

The Plan

The exhibition will show large reproductions from paintings made by the old masters, whose names are attached to the streets surrounding the crowded market area of the Albert Cuyp, in the heart of Amsterdam; Ferdinand Bol, Albert Cuyp, Frans Hals, Jan Steen and many more.

The old masters will be accompanied by an original work of a modern artist, inspired by the original 17th century painting made especially for the Meesters op Straat project and will adorn empty walls on the streets named after the famous painters.

The Pilotproject and the next stage

Well known photographer Mirjana Vrbaski will be the first artist to show her interpretation of a self portrait  by Ferdinand Bol from the Rijksmuseum collection. The original work of Bol is currently exposed next to hers, on the corner of the Ferdinand Bolstraat and the Ceintuurbaan.

Following the pilot project we will invite other modern artists from different disciplines (graphic art, video-art, etc.) to make their very own work of art, inspired by an old master.

In this way we aim to connect 17th century famous artworks to art of our day in a new and surprising way.

Mirjana Vrbaski:

” I think this is an important project for Amsterdam, because it shows the ongoing inspiration of the old masters for modern artists, as real landmarks in the city”

Realisation

The two huge prints that will form the pilot project, will be unveiled in spring 2014, on the corner of the Ferdinand Bolstraat and Ceintuurbaan for one year.

The immediate neighbourhood, de Pijp, and the city of Amsterdam as a whole, will benefit from this particular focus on the beauty of the 17th century painters and the inspiration it gives to modern artists.

The project opens up wonderful possibilities for educational spin-offs, and we will be working together with organisations supporting the same goal, such as Amsterdams Toerisme & Congres Bureau, Cultureel Netwerk Nederland and Stadsdeel Zuid.

We will be developing an educational app and are in contact with schools in the area where the prints will be exhibited.

The project Meesters op Straat received a starters fee from the Rabobank and grants from the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts and the Elise Mathilde Fund. The Rijksmuseum will be supporting the project by providing the high quality material for the 17th century reproductions, and the Noord Zuidlijn by giving both technical and organizational advice. Through the Art Platform Voordekunst.nl the last bit of financing was raised with a crowfunding campaign.