Technical Art History Colloquium around Vik Muniz's exhibition Verso at the Mauritshuis (2 June 2016)

12 mei 2016

The Mauritshuis in Den Haag is shedding new light on its collection through a special collaboration with Brazilian artist Vik Muniz. For the first time in the history of the museum, the Mauritshuis is organising an exhibition entirely of contemporary works of art.

The fourth edition of the Technical Art History Colloquium will take place at the Mauritshuis, The Hague, in connection with the exhibition Vik Muniz –Verso. The inspiration for the exhibition at the Mauritshuis are the back sides of the seventeenth-century paintings in the museum’s collection, including: Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and View of Delft, Carel Fabritius’s The Goldfinch, Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp and Frans Post’s View of Itamaracà Island in Brazil. This creates a delightful connection between the modern art of Muniz and the world-famous paintings of the Mauritshuis.

In this colloquium, Muniz’s Technical Assistants, Barry Frier and Tony Pinotti, will explain their working methods, and talk about their quests to find different materials to replicate the canvases, labels and frames. They will also reflect on the objects that Vik Muniz has created and the way that he has “reproduced” both Old Master and modern paintings for the Verso project.

Vik Muniz is a world-renowned artist who works in New York and Rio de Janeiro. Initially a sculptor, Muniz has in time become increasingly interested

in the photographic representations of his work. Using materials such as sugar, thread, diamonds, chocolate syrup and garbage, Muniz creates bold, ironic and often deceiving artworks. His film ‘Waste Land’ won several awards in 2010. His work is featured in collections from leading museums such as MOMA in New York, The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, and Tate in London.

Date and time

Thursday June 2, 2016, 15:00 – 17:00

Venue

Nassauzaal, Mauritshuis, Plein 29, Den Haag

Presentations by:

  • Vik Muniz (to be confirmed)
  • Barry Frier and Tony Pinotti (Vik Muniz’s Technical Assistants)
  • Emilie Gordenker (Director of the Mauritshuis)
  • Milou Goverde (Assistant Curator)

Admission is free / In order to ensure that you will be accommodated, please RSVP before Thursday May 26: a.vandivere@mauritshuis.nl

After the presentation in the Nassauzaal, attendees of the colloquium may have the opportunity to see some of the actual objects before the official opening of the exhibition.

About the Technical Art History Colloquium

The Technical Art History Colloquium is organised by prof. dr. Sven Dupré (Utrecht University and University of Amsterdam, PI ERC ARTECHNE) and dr. Arjan de Koomen (University of Amsterdam, Department of Art History, Coordinator MA Technical Art History). Monthly meetings take place on Thursdays, usually in Utrecht and Amsterdam.

About Verso

The Vik Muniz – Verso exhibition will be on view at the Mauritshuis from 9 June to 4 September 2016. For more information, click here.

All images © Vik Muniz