13 january 2025, Flor Linckens
Amsterdam Art opening of the art season
Looking for a good excuse to get out this weekend? After the holidays, it was nice to relax at home, catch up on emails and cocoon a bit, but now it's seems like a good time to get back outside and recharge. This weekend, Amsterdam Art kicks off the new art season, and the city is buzzing with exciting exhibitions. Get some fresh air, grab a coffee to go, and discover what Amsterdam galleries have in store this season. Amsterdam Art has created a program that puts galleries across the city in the spotlight. Whether you're curious about the work of emerging artists or interested in the latest projects by established names, it’s the perfect time to warm up in a gallery and explore something new!
Celebrate the New Year at Annet Gelink Gallery and Slewe Gallery
On Saturday, 18 January 2025, Annet Gelink Gallery and Slewe Gallery invite you to a New Year’s reception.
At Annet Gelink Gallery (17:00—19:00), you get a chance to view the solo exhibition by American artist Steffani Jemison (on view until 25 January). Read more about this impressive exhibition here.
Slewe Gallery (15:00—18:00) currently presents a tribute to artist Jan van Munster, who recently passed away. His exhibition 'But the Energy Continues' will be on show until 1 February. Learn more about the exhibition here.
Gallery openings
On 17 January (17:00 - 19:00), Lumen Travo Gallery opens a group show featuring work by Atousa Bandeh, Rachid Ben Ali, Dianne Hagen, and Milena Naef, exploring how they approach this time.
Galerie Stigter Van Doesburg presents 'Carts before horses', a group exhibition inspired by the fourth bolgia of the eighth circle of hell in Dante's Inferno, opening on 18 January at 17:00.
Upstream Gallery opens 'Grey Zone Tactics: Black Ops, White Noise' by Jeroen Jongeleen on 18 January (17:00 - 19:30), in which the artist builds on his running works, but with a stronger political focus this time.
Galerie Ron Mandos opens a retrospective of Maarten Baas' work on 18 January (15:00 - 18:00), highlighting more than 20 years of his career, from design to fine art.
From 18 January, Galerie Caroline O'Breen presents two exhibitions: 'Bird, Plane, Butterfly' by Antoinette Nausikaä, exploring silence and natural connections, and 'My Body is a Plant' by Elisa Strinna, investigating the relationship between people and plants through porcelain sculptures. Nausikaä’s book launch will take place on 18 January from 16:00 - 19:00.
From 17 January (17:00), Gallery van Fanny Freytag presents 'A Mirror of All Others', a group exhibition by Ivalu Carlsen, Julia Creuheras, Bernice Nauta, Marinka Reuten, and Elise van Staveren, examining the boundaries between body and mind, presence and absence.
At Ellen de Bruijne Projects, 'It Goes Without Saying. A Glossary of Signs by Uta Eisenreich' explores the poetic relationship between gestures and meaning through video works. You can also explore the exhibition 'Live, Love, Laugh' by Camila Oliveira Fairclough, which uses humour to examine the boundary between image and language in popular culture.
From 18 January, GoMulan Gallery, in collaboration with Christie’s Amsterdam, presents 'Spiel' by Ulrike Rehm, exploring craftsmanship, tradition and symbolism. Both locations open on 18 January at 15:00.
On 18 January, Galerie Fons Welters opens a solo exhibition by Arjun Das, weaving his experiences as a migrant worker into the history of Maastricht using materials such as marl and recycled wood. The second exhibition, 'Nothing is Permanent | Olga Balema, Louise Lawler, Anh Trần', challenges conventions of presentation, materiality, and value. Opening at 17:00.
tegenboschvanvreden opens 'It Takes Three to Tango' on 18 January, showcasing the work of Vicente Baeza, Chaim van Luit and Dieuwke Spaans. The artists will be present at the opening (17:00 - 19:00).
From 19 January 2025, Bradwolff & Partners presents 'Amaryllis Switch – What if Bacteria Will Construct a New Habitat of Our Plastic Waste' by Ronald van der Meijs, in which the artist reflects on the impact of plastic pollution on ecosystems. Additionally, 'Sammelsurium' presents a dynamic dialogue of works from a private art collection, with changing, curator-led presentations.
At AKINCI, 'One Meter Under', a duo exhibition by Inge Meijer and Stéphanie Saadé, is on view, in which the artists investigate themes of growth, change, memory, and the environment of humans and plants.
At Galerie Bart, the solo exhibition 'Bold' by the Rotterdam duo Rotteveel Vermeer is currently on display. In this exhibition, Thomas Vermeer, with a background in fashion, and artist Jochem Rotteveel combine their shared fascination with colour. Wouter van den Eijkel recently interviewed the duo about their studio.
Rutger Brandt Gallery recently opened 'Fringe', a solo exhibition by Christian Hellmich, for which he combines abstraction with urban and industrial themes. He draws his inspiration from the outskirts of Berlin, where personal memories and raw cityscapes seem to merge.
Until 22 February 2025, TORCH Gallery presents 'Work in Progress', an installation by Casper Braat featuring a marble reconstruction of a classic Porsche 911, exploring the boundaries between art objects and craftsmanship.
KERSGALLERY presents the exhibition 'Layers of Air, Sticks in Time' by Ariel Mitchell (on view until 2 February). Her abstract paintings explore the relationship between material, colour and memory. Read more about Mitchell’s work here. In the backspace, works by Eline Boerma are on view. The artist was recently nominated for the Royal Award for Modern Painting 2024.
Until 31 January, BorzoGallery is showcasing 'Ben Akkerman, Paintings and Drawings 1935-2008, an overview of his subtle abstractions and carefully developed oeuvre. Read more about the exhibition here.
Finissages
This weekend also marks your last chance to visit several exhibitions.
andriesse ~ eyck galerie closes its exhibition of Diana Scherer at the end of the day on 18 January. Read more about this intriguing exhibition.
At Galerie Fontana, the work of Jacquie Maria Wessels will be on view until 25 January, with six silk canvases depicting trees, symbolising the fleeting nature of memories. Learn more in this article.
galerie dudokdegroot presents 'Specter' by Vincent Uilenbroek until 18 January, showcasing the Dutch artist's technical skill and innovative silkscreen techniques. Read more about his practice here.
Other exhibitions
In addition to the official Amsterdam Art program, other galleries in the city are presenting their latest exhibitions. Here are a few more recommendations:
Until 1 February, Bildhalle presents 'Champions' by Bastiaan Woudt, featuring portraits of young leaders in Zambia who play a crucial role in the fight against HIV. The exhibition supports Orange Babies, with 10% of sales donated.
At Galerie van Gelder, 'Kent-ish', the first solo exhibition by Bert McLean, is on view until 19 January, showcasing playful collage paintings made from found objects. In the back space, 'Soles' by his sister Freda McLean is also on display. Read more about the exhibition here.
Galerie Roger Katwijk is showing 'A Colourshaped Room' by Annemieke Alberts. In her practice, the artist creates mental spaces through subtle layers of paint and colour. The exhibition will be on view until 15 February. Learn more here.
Until 29 March, Rademakers Gallery presents 'Painters Alive', showcasing how seven artists are redefining the medium of painting, with a focus on personal stories, experimentation, and a fresh perspective on painting. Discover more about the exhibition here.
