11 july 2019, Oscar van Gelderen & Manuela Klerkx
Anne's Pick... Anne van der Zwaag
In this section we let a selection of art lovers – from occasional buyers to art professionals – talk about their perception of art and preferences: where do they want to see art? Where do they purchase art, and above all: from which artists do they buy? Below, an interview with Anne van der Zwaag (curator OBJECT & BIG ART)
What does art mean to you?
Every work in my collection has a special meaning, I bought or received it at a special moment and tells a story. When I walk through our house I think back to those moments, and I always have to smile.
Black sea XII, 2017, Raquel Maulwurf.
Did you get an appreciation of art from your parents or did you have to find your own way??
My parents were not concerned with high art, but I do come from a cultural and creative family. We used to travel all over the world and then you come into contact with all kinds of art.
Untitled, 2017, Marijn Akkermans.
Where do you get your information about the ups and downs in the art world?
Through my network. Many artists and museum people are friends too. They keep me informed and I receive all kinds of invitations.
Where do you prefer to look at art?
It's best if you speak to the artist in his/her studio. You have to put more effort into this, but it allows you to step into the artist’s world and you gain insight into the creative process.
The Urge to Sit Dry, 2018, Boris Maas.
How many times a year do you buy art?
Several times a year. I always buy a number of works at BIG ART and OBJECT, but also at Unseen, at Art Rotterdam, sometimes at the KunstRAI.
Summer Break, 2019, Sigrid van Woudenberg.
And where do you buy art: in a gallery, at an art fair, at an auction or online?
It depends. I prefer to go out and look for art, but for a while I bought some works at Catawiki as well, which is really addictive because of the bidding and the timer, so I stopped doing that rather quickly.
Is it important that you and your partner agree on a purchase?
Everything we buy is from a common budget, which each of us is free to use. Our children really grow up with art and design. Tristan (12) and Ronin (6) have strong ideas about what they find beautiful or interesting, sometimes one asks: "Can I have that in my room?" Even Saga (she is only 4 months old!) already has a small collection.
1420184, 2019, Katinka Lampe.
For my work I have built up a personal bond with so many galleries that I wouldn’t like to mention just one. Maurits van de Laar, Pien Rademakers, Kees van Gelder, Franzis Engels, Cokkie Snoei, Antoinette de Stigter, Roger Katwijk are always enthusiastic about what I do and vice versa. Someone like Cosimo Ricatto also has such a positive attitude. Especially for people who are not in the scene, appearance and communication are essential.
If you had an unlimited budget, from whom would you purchase a work?
If I had unlimited funds I would give artists I find interesting assignments in which they are free to experiment. I would purchase a plot of land somewhere in Friesland to create a place where artists can make work and visitors can enjoy it for free.
Who are your favorite artists?
- Boris Maas: Boris is a pleasant surprise. He probably is the youngest artist listed on the Gallery Viewer website. I spotted his work at the Design Academy last year. Great to see him again at the Frank Taal gallery.
- Midas Zwaan: Midas’s works contains all kinds of familiar objects and references. It looks familiar and at the same time raises many questions, thus triggering the imagination.
- Jan Roeland: his work appeals to me because it has an everyday quality is recognizable and unpretentious. And I think his use of colour is beautiful and clear.
Kleurverhouding III, 2013, Peter Struycken.
Have a look on the website of OBJECT and BIG ART
Have a look on Anne van der Zwaag's Instagram
