12 september 2024, Flor Linckens
Preview Unseen: Nominees for the Meijburg Art Commission 2024: 4/5 Klaas Kloosterboer
Meijburg & Co and Unseen have proudly presented the Meijburg Art Commission since 2015. Each year, artists participating at Unseen are invited to submit work relating a theme. Out of these proposals a shortlist of five artists is selected, whose work will be exhibited in the Meijburg Lounge at Unseen, and where a winner will be announced. The winner of the Meijburg Art Commission will receive an encouragement prize of 5.000,- and their artwork will be bought into the Meijburg & Co art collection.
The theme for the Meijburg Art Commission 2024 is ‘Prosperity’. The economic definition of prosperity is "a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition, especially in financial respects; good fortune". However, the ecological definition of the term is "the extent to which a species flourishes under certain circumstances". In recent years, those two different perspectives have become more fluid when considering our personal wellbeing and that of our society. What does it mean to flourish as a human, both individually and as a society? Is it merely about financial security, or do we also need to consider other factors, such as time for ourselves and for each other, the environment and culture, to truly thrive?
The five nominated artists for the Meijburg Art Commission 2024 are Anna Fabricius (TOBE Gallery), Klaas Kloosterboer (Ellen de Bruijne Projects), Lee-Ann Olwage (The Bridge Gallery), Melissa Schriek (Hama Gallery) and Gilleam Trapenberg (Galerie Ron Mandos).
Klaas Kloosterboer operates at the intersection of painting, sculpture, installation, video and photography, continuously questioning and challenging the boundaries and conventions of these disciplines. His versatile and idiosyncratic practice is defined by a conceptual approach in which abstraction and action take center stage. The act of creation itself plays a vital role in his work, with Kloosterboer drawing inspiration from 20th-century avant-garde movements that shape both his thinking and artistic methods.
In his paintings and installations, Kloosterboer explores the essence of art and painting by investigating fundamental elements such as form, colour and materiality. He also challenges the underlying traditions and assumptions that accompany these media. He does so in a way that creates space, seeking tension between construction, destruction and deconstruction. His works range from large-scale, hand-sewn costume sculptures and modified objects trouvés to video installations that capture specific processes and actions. By throwing paint, cutting or perforating canvases, Kloosterboer plays with space and the limits of painting, all while posing questions about the traditional ways in which art is made and presented. The choices the artist makes in his studio play a central role and are always in dialogue with the material world.
His oeuvre is characterised by curiosity and a continuous search for innovation. Kloosterboer regularly challenges himself by setting strict rules or tasks, forcing him to approach his materials in a particular way. These sometimes playful instructions result in works that are both spontaneous and considered: while his practice may appear intuitive and impulsive, it is also rooted in thorough research, experimentation and artistic reflection.
At first glance, the photographic triptych of the sun, which earned him a nomination for the Meijburg Art Commission 2024, seems to diverge from his earlier works, which often revolve around raw materials, destruction and a playful engagement with the conventions of painting. His previous pieces frequently involve physical interventions, while this triptych appears more introspective, with symbolism focused on a universal, almost spiritual theme: the sun, an ancient symbol of life, cycles and growth, against a cloudless blue sky. This work reflects Kloosterboer's ongoing quest to redefine how art can convey an experience. It is not concerned with the perfect depiction of the sun, but rather with transmitting the essence of sunlight to the viewer’s mind. It underscores the importance of perception, action and reflection, and how these elements can lead to a deeper understanding of what it means to be human. The sun becomes a concept that he deconstructs psychologically, employing it as a form of therapy — a gesture that aligns with his focus on action as a central element in his practice. It is an attempt to bring light and positivity into a time that is often marked by negativity and uncertainty, inviting the viewer to reflect on what it means to truly thrive in a world full of challenges.
Klaas Kloosterboer was born in Groot-Schermer in 1959. He completed residencies at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam and Villa Romana in Florence. In 2022, his work was featured in a solo exhibition at the Kröller-Müller Museum. From 1995 onward, he served for many years as a professor at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. His work has been included in the collections of the Centraal Museum, the Stedelijk Museum, Museum Voorlinden, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, and more.
