DRIFT. Dune to Dogger Bank is a deeply affecting exhibition in which twenty-two contemporary artists unite past, present and future in order to explore a single, urgent question: what is our relationship to the dune landscape and the North Sea? The artists drew inspiration from the ideals of Hendrik Willem Mesdag and Sientje Mesdag-van Houten. In 1881, this artist couple used their famous Panorama of Scheveningen to call attention to the fragile nature of the coastal landscape and the preservation of the Seinpostduin. Now, some 145 years later, as sea levels rise and biodiversity dwindles, the call to protect our seas and coastlines has become even more urgent. New perspectives Together with co-curator Embassy of the North Sea, the museum asked artists, researchers and makers to devise new panoramas, perspectives and prospects concerning the relationship between humans and the North Sea and dune landscape. Partly informed by dialogues with ecologists and other experts, their work renders the ecological processes and changes in the landscape both visible and tangible while also exploring potential future scenarios. The works on display vary from impressive installations and sculptures to interactive pieces that ask you to listen, feel and experience for yourself. And so, 145 years after Mesdag created the Panorama of Scheveningen, visitors of all ages are once again invited to explore the North Sea landscape, from the crests of the dunes to the undersea world of the Dogger Bank. Commissioned works DRIFT brings together works by twenty-two artists and includes a mix of new and innovative art that was created especially for this exhibition, as well as existing work that has been re-examined and is now being presented in this context for the first time. Artists such as Suzette Bousema, Valerie van Leersum, Xandra van der Eijk and Frank Bloem render ecological processes tangible through air, colour, sound and scent, while Jonat Deelstra focuses on the North Sea seabed and the question of how art can contribute to ecological recovery. Paintings by Anke Roder, Linhuei Chen, Daan Koens and others draw connections between landscapes, memories and visions of the future. Landscape architect Thijs de Zeeuw brings the Dogger Bank to tangible life through a participative and educational approach, while Folkert de Jong looks to mythical gods of nature to give voice to the sea and dunes. New work by MUST and Harpo ’t Hart & Sami Hammana addresses the political debate surrounding the Dogger Bank as well. The exhibition also includes work by Anne Jesuina presented in art institute Stroom Den Haag, a few minutes’ walk from the museum.
Minke Schat, director of Museum Panorama Mesdag: ‘With DRIFT, we are aligning ourselves with the tradition of Hendrik Willem and Sientje Mesdag, whose work contributed to a new appreciation of the dune landscape and who – as activists committed to nature conservation – were truly ahead of their time. DRIFT opens with a letter to the municipality of The Hague written by Hendrik Willem Mesdag in protest of plans to level the Seinpostduin, the tallest dune in Scheveningen at the time. His letter extends the historical context to the present day, linking it to current issues. It also underscores the museum’s role as a place where art, landscape and societal themes come together and provide potential food for thought.’ Embassy of the North Sea’s Thijs Middeldorp: ‘Hendrik Willem Mesdag expressed his love for the sea with the words: “The sea is mine.” Today, we ask ourselves: who really owns the sea? First and foremost, the North Sea and vital marine nurseries like the Dogger Bank belong to themselves, separate from human interests – don't they? These questions yield new stories, exciting images and surprising perspectives, all of which come together in this exhibition.’ Public events An extensive programme of public events will run concurrent to the exhibition, offering added depth through lectures and expert panels with guests such as Arita Baaijens, Peter Kuipers Munneke and Auke Florian. Other activities include creative workshops with Suzette Bousema and a Beach Clean-up with public participation. Remarkably, a portion of the programme takes place outside the museum, with culture walks through Meijendel led by a museum guide, a biologist and singer and ambassador Tim Knol. The full programme will be available on the museum website as of 21th March. Publicatie The exhibition is accompanied by a publication of the same name DRIFT. Dune to Dogger Bank. Published by Uitgeverij Waanders. Price €29.00. ISBN 9789462627086. All artists Atelier NL (Nadine Sterk & Lonny van Ryswyck), Frank Bloem, Suzette Bousema, Linhuei Chen, Jonat Deelstra, Xandra van der Eijk, Annemieke Fierinck & Esther Hessing, Sami Hammana & Harpo ‘t Hart, Folkert de Jong, Tim Knol, Daan Koens, Valerie van Leersum, Hendrik Willem Mesdag, Sientje Mesdag-van Houten, MUST (Ziega van den Berk, Sebastian van Berkel, Tea Hadžizulfić & Veerle Simons), Anke Roder, Thijs de Zeeuw and Anne Jesuina. DRIFT. Dune to Dogger Bank is an initiative by Museum Panorama Mesdag, organised in co-curatorship with the Embassy of the North Sea and in cooperation with Stroom Den Haag, the Doggerland Foundation, Stichting Duinbehoud and Dunea. |
