10/3/2015
Woody van Amen and Hidde van Schie
Tent, Rotterdam
Art-critic and writer speack about their work, friendship, the New Romantic Spirit exhibition and the recently published artist's book.
An Evening With Woody van Amen en Hidde van Schie
wednesday 11 March, 20:00 hrs
“Using the motto New Romantic Spirit, junior and senior engage in twinkling artistic dialogue.”
Sandra Heerma van Voss in NRC Handelsblad – 06.02.2015
Woody van Amen and Hidde van Schie speak to art-critic and writer Hans den Hartog Jager
about their work, friendship, the New Romantic Spirit exhibition and the recently published
artist's book. A selection of unique images; performances by Woody van Amen, acting by
Hidde van Schie in, amongst others, Spangen and cinematic experiments by both artists will
be shown. Noor Mertens, city conservator of the Boijmans van Beuningen Museum, will
provide an introductory speech.
New Romantic Spirit 05.02 – 19.04.2015
Woody van Amen and Hidde van Schie present new and existing work in an exhibition in which
art's power to touch people is central. Paintings of birds inconsolably crying, enthusiastic
flashing light sculptures, magical 'taxat' symbols, and serene neon paintings pay homage to an
art that wants to give a new, romantic impetus to the relationship between the artwork and the
viewer. Beyond irony and cynicism, the two artists create a space for emotions, for sentiment,
as a self-reflective striving or desire for something that transcends banal reality.
About the speakers:
Art-critic and writer Hans den Hartog Jager (1968) has been a contributor to, amongst others,
the NRC Handelsblad for quite some years. His art critiques have been bundled in Verf (2004)
and Haai op sterk water (2008). He has also appeared regularly as an interviewer and reviewer
on television for, amongst others, on De Avonden and Opium TV. In 2011, he published the book
Het Sublieme about the downfall and rise of the perception of beauty in contemporary art. In his
new book Het Streven (2014, following the Meer Licht exhibition in Museum de Fundatie, which
he curated) Den Hartog Jager asks if contemporary art can improve the world.
Woody van Amen (1936) created a sensational oeuvre in a timespan of fifty years that includes
paintings, sculptures, installations and film. In the mid-60's, van Amen gained fame in the
Netherlands. Having just returned from New York, and using a style in which he united icons of
consumer society with popular visual culture, he instantly became the representative of Dutch
Pop-Art.
Image: Woody van Amen and Hidde van Schie
Press Contact: Josephine van Kranendonk,
communication TENT, via josephine@tentrotterdam.nl or +31 (0)10 201 0962.
Date: wednesday 11 March, 20:00 hrs
TENT,
Witte de Withstraat 50
Rotterdam
Admission: €3