Marijke van Warmerdam: Then, now, and then

This exhibition of the work of Marijke van Warmerdam (Nieuwer-Amstel, 1959) covers the entire first floor of the Landhuis Oud Amelisweerd. Van Warmerdam does not tell stories in her works, but relies on the visual power of the motif: a hat dancing in the wind, a girl doing a handstand, a red suitcase sliding down a snowy mountain. Although she utilizes a variety of media, including photography, sculpture, and sound installations, she is best known for her short film loops. 

Rome yesterday, today and tomorrow
Van Warmerdam spent a few months in Rome in 2017, documenting the city in her own inimitable way. From this emerged Then, now, and then: a series of films in which present, past and future are linked together. In these films, Van Warmerdam reveals traces of the dynamism of the Baroque era in present-day Rome. These late 16th-century influences were also significant for the Caravaggisti, of whom the Centraal Museum owns several works.

In the historical rooms of Landhuis Oud Amelisweerd, the films are shown as repetitive loops in which the sounds of the city play as vital a role as the accompanying images. In fact, the soundtrack provides the connecting tissue between the 16 films, enabling the experience of the series as a captivating whole in which visitors are led on a walk through the birthplace of the Baroque movement. Then, now, and then celebrates the dimensions of chance and unpredictability that have added a particular touch of flavour to everyday life in the city for centuries.

Centraal Museum at Landhuis Oud Amelisweerd
From 2022 to 2026, the Centraal Museum is taking up residence at  Landhuis Oud Amelisweerd. From spring to autumn for the next five years, this beautiful country estate will form the backdrop for a solo exhibition by a renowned Dutch contemporary artist. On the first floor of the mansion, the museum will give artists carte blanche to present works that interact with the historical interiors.  Marijke van Warmerdam is the second artist in this series of exhibitions. 

This programme is a partner project of the Hartwig Art Foundation.