November 25–29, 2020
Every year in November, Amsterdam’s finest contemporary art institutions collectively open their doors to showcase the latest developments in contemporary art during Amsterdam Art Weekend. This festive event connects galleries, project spaces, museums, art institutions and residency programs with the local community as well as art professionals and collectors from all over the world.
The Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten has been a major partner since the first edition of the Amsterdam Art Weekend in 2012. Each year during their Open Studios, the Rijksakademie resident artists present their work to the general public for the first time. Due to the spread of COVID-19, the Rijksakademie has decided to extend the current residency period and to move the annual Open Studios to April 2021. Amsterdam Art supports this decision and subsequently moves the Art Weekend to April 15-18, 2021. The shift of the residency year and the new dates for the Amsterdam Art Weekend in the spring are permanent.
Emily Pethick, director of the Rijksakademie: “More than ever we see the importance of art organizations working together to sustain a rich cultural ecosystem in the Netherlands and beyond. We are therefore extremely happy to continue our collaboration with Amsterdam Art. With spring as a natural time of renewal, we will, through this annual celebration of culture in the city, bring new energy and stimulate new perspectives in what we hope will be a better climate!”
This November, the smaller-scale and very first Amsterdam Art Gallery Weekend takes place. From November 25-29, 2020, Amsterdam’s finest art galleries and the artists they represent, are put in the spotlight through a high quality curated program which includes exhibitions, editions and an online program of talks, tours and performances. Central to the program are the 27 participating galleries that are presenting their most cutting-edge exhibitions. During the weekend galleries present an extraordinary and affordable limited edition artwork as well, which is on show both online and in the gallery. Artists were inspired by the overarching theme: Infra-Ordinary, that describes the phenomenon when the banality of everyday life suddenly gets a special meaning.
In celebration of its 150th anniversary, the Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten presents the very first Artist Edition in its history, a Rijksakademie exhibition in a box. The box contains thirteen works by Rijksakademie alumni and is offered for sale in an exclusive edition of forty. Thirteen works made by artists for artists, as the proceeds from the sale of the box will directly support emerging artists. Next to this, a special edition will be launched with a work by alumna Claudia Martínez Garay. Additionally, the Rijksakademie launches an exhibition on their 150-year long history, with work and objects from its own collection and archives. The exhibition is curated by artists Hermann Pitz and Dina Danish who approach the Rijksakademie’s history as a potential Cabinet of Curiosities.
Simultaneously, Amsterdam’s most renowned contemporary art institutions are presenting exclusive shows. Prominent partner venue Stedelijk Museum showcases their exhibition Ulay Was Here. The show contains four themes that amplify the contemporary relevance of Ulay’s work: his focus on performance and the performative aspects of photography; his research into gender identity and the body as a medium; his engagement with social and political issues; and his relationship with Amsterdam.
During the Gallery Weekend, Oude Kerk is hosting their program The World After: Conversation Pieces in which artists are invited to share their outlook on the world after the coronavirus pandemic. In an exclusive evening program, artist Germaine Kruip and writer and philosopher Simon(e)van Saarloos reflect on our current times.
Amsterdam Art Gallery Weekend presents a unique opportunity to safely explore Amsterdam’s art world, either physically or online. The weekend highlights exceptional and cutting edge art for both collectors and art enthusiasts.
