Cecilia Hendrikx has been selected as Artist in Residence at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Studies (NIAS-KNAW) for the year 2026. During the five-month fellowship, from February to June 2026, she will focus on spatial, historical and phenomenological research within the Spinhuis in Amsterdam. The monumental building that houses NIAS.
Building as witness to history
Hendrikx investigates how the history of buildings permeates their use and perception today. Central to her research is the 'surtout de table': table decorations from the 17th and 18th centuries that acted as status symbols and story carriers at the time - a representation of power and authority.
Hendrikx fleshes out this historical art form through the surtout de table as a contemporary 'conversation piece'. In doing so, she makes the history and architecture of the Spinhuis tangible and discussable, as well as the role of the institution it houses.
Her research builds a bridge from the 17th century to the present day. It aims to spark a conversation: is the use of this building really so natural? And, why do people use the building in this way?
That she is conducting this research at NIAS and the Academy of Arts feels logical: 'I believe the intersection of art, science and history offers valuable insights.'
Research from architecture
Her method consists of closely studying the architecture and visual details in the building: from plants to ceiling decorations, from lamps to ornaments. She examines the meaning these elements carry and what they radiate.'In doing so, I don't just look at the past, but involve everyone who works in or uses the building now, from researchers to staff and suppliers.' says Hendrikx.This creates a rich picture of the social and historical layers that Spinhuis holds.
Hendrikx's method is appropriate for the Spinhuis - a listed building with a rich history - but can also be used for other buildings. Previously, Hendrikx applied her method to the 19th-century school building of the Reinwardt Academy and to the modernist villa Huis van Geldere
Models of power
Hendrikx records her observations in contemporary 'surtout de tables', which visualise specific periods in the history of institutions.
A surtout de table is a richly decorated object made of gold or silver that was placed on the table at official dinners. In the 18th century, these table pieces became popular in wealthy circles - for example, Napoleon gifted a 'surtout' to his stepson to set up at diplomatic dinners. Today, they are still used at royal banquets, for example.
Historically, these tableaux symbolised power. During the Renaissance, they evolved into intricate narratives designed by architects, often with references to antiquity. Their architectural design often resembled piazzas, symbolising order and authority.
New interpretation of 17th century art form
With her research, Hendrikx redefines the surtout de table.She creates contemporary versions from elements she finds on location, which she approaches as a kind of construction kit.The basis, as with historical surtouts, is a mirror.'My surtout de tables are models representing the size, environment and significance of an organisation, where social and historical layers come together,' Hendrikx explains.'I do not use this art form to exercise power, but to subvert its original intent. By thinking precisely about the power structures that still influence our world today.'
She adds: 'a surtout can at the same time be simply beautiful or entertaining, with room for the intangible like a vision or a dream.'
About the Spider House
Once built as a disciplinary home for women, the Spinhuis was a place where women were put to work because they had been convicted or were living unemployed on the streets. It aimed to put women back on the straight and narrow. The Spider House got its name from the fact that women were put to work spinning and sewing here. Since 2016, the NIAS, among others, has been housed in this building.
About Cecilia Hendrikx
Cecilia Hendrikx studied architectural design at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam.She is co-founder of research and design collective Pink Pony Express. Hendrikx's work always arises in relation to a specific place, often in exchange with other artists, residents and scientists.
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