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Annika Hoogeveen

Dacia, realm of cosmic stardust

A room full of beautiful shiny gold and silver objects, from coins to swords. With so many shiny items, the magpie in me wakes up. But instead of gold, I take home knowledge: insight into a culture that has been 'forgotten'. Dacia - Realm of gold and silver at the Drents Museum is one such exhibition that I am happy to... 

Hidden past and new insights in 'Groninger Museum 150 years - Behind the Scenes'

Hidden treasures. Like other museums, the Groninger Museum houses many objects that deserve to be exhibited. Interesting paintings, sculptures or archaeological splendour of which visitors are unaware. Happy birthday is a treat. The Groninger Museum celebrates its hundred and fifty-year anniversary with - among other things - an exhibition in which you get a look behind the scenes. Objects... 

Follow Van Gogh's footsteps in Drenthe.

On 11 September 1883, Vincent van Gogh disembarked at Hoogeveen train station. Away from The Hague's urbanisation and back to nature. The painter spends months in the area around Hoogeveen, Nieuw-Amsterdam/Veenoord and goes to Zweeloo for a day. He uses his period in Drenthe to unwind and experiment with themes, colours and... 

'It's only rock and roll (but I like it).' Rolling Stones -Unzipped at the Groninger Museum

You Can't Always Get What You Want. After corona threw a spanner in the works in 2020 - the exhibition was on show for only four weeks - visitors will get a second chance to enjoy The Rolling Stones- Unzipped. In the meantime, legendary drummer Charlie Watts has died at the age of 80. The Groninger Museum is the last stop in... 

An eruption of beauty at the Drents Museum

'See Naples and then die' were Goethe's famous words. If the German philosopher was as surrounded by beauty as I was during the new exhibition Dying in Beauty - The World of Pompeii and Herculaneum, I can understand his statement. For the Drents Museum, it is a peculiar choice: an exhibition on an already much-discussed period and society.... 

The Rolling Stones-Unzipped at the Groninger Museum: dynamic, yet somewhat well-behaved tribute

Fortunately, the Groninger Museum also puts enough focus on the aural aspect; not only are visitors treated to the various Stones songs, culminating in the concert in Cuba in 2016, but they also pass by fragments of der band members themselves and (popular) cultural figureheads such as director Martin Scorsese.

Virtual life after death does have a price tag in Amazon Prime's Upload

With amazement, I become aware of the 'sacrificing your elderly fellow man' attitude of many here in the Netherlands. Dor wood. Not money, but the love for it is the root of evil. Right now, I wish a virtual heaven were possible - so that those who have lost someone and may not be able to say goodbye to them either... 

What the stream; bring on those dramatic disaster movies!

Hollywood loves disaster movies and frankly, so do I. It's sort of a 'guilty pleasure' of mine. Generally, it is the visual aspect that attracts me the most: the eruption of a volcano, an earthquake tearing the world apart - as a resident of Groningen, I did adjust my opinion somewhat about the entertainment value of earthquakes - or... 

Divided loyalties, racism and a split house in HBO's The Plot Against America

I had the chance to attend the 500th anniversary - it took place at the beautiful Teatro La Fenice - of the first Jewish ghetto during my visit to Venice in 2016. One of the speakers was historian Simon Schama. During his lecture, I was given a brief history of Jewish suffering in Italy. According to... 

Netflix's The Witcher is having an identity crisis. But if you make it to episode five, you'll want to know how it ends.

With much fanfare, Netflix's The Witcher was announced. Except for some comments about Superman in a white wig, there was and is a lot of interest in the film adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's fantasy book series. Successor to Game of Thrones. With the way that one ended? No thanks! I'm not familiar with the books or the games myself, but Netflix's description... 

Ready or not: Forum Groningen is open, but is it for everyone?

Controversial and an eyesore for many: Forum Groningen. It has occupied minds considerably over the past few years. On Friday 29 November, the cultural centre in Groningen was finally opened to the general public. Interest in Forum is certainly there, as the counter already stood at 50,000 visitors on Tuesday morning. The prestige project that has cost the Groninger quite a few taxpayers' pennies... 

Drenthe landscape fascinates and enchants in Barbizon of the North

With the storm of publicity, Vincent van Gogh's 'Weeds Burning Farmer' (1883) seems to be the star of the new exhibition Barbizon of the North - The Discovery of the Drenthe Landscape 1850-1950. The centrepiece of the exhibition, as befits a good diva, is still some time away. It is 'fashionably late'. However, a spot has already been reserved. The... 

The masked truth in HBO's Watchmen

At a time when comic book movies, superheroes and alternative dystopian realities reign supreme, I feared the worst when HBO announced Damon Lindelof's Watchmen. Not having extensive knowledge of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' comic book Watchmen myself, I found the 2009 film a disappointment. Lindelof is the man behind the infamous series Lost. Where with Lost, the viewer... 

Groninger Museum presents Daan Roosegaarde's Presence; where the visitor makes the exhibition

Before walking into Daan Roosegaarde's new exhibition, I read the following: "Touching? Yes, please!" I take another good look at the sign, because you don't usually associate those words with a museum visit. At Daan Roosegaarde's exhibition Presence, however, it is a prerequisite. The artist wants you to touch and experience his art. For me, that was easier 

These painters had to shape the identity of their country. Drents museum shows result of 19th century pursuit of Italian nation-state.

Antonio Mancini, Lorenzo Delleani and Fillippo Palizzi, who does not know these influential Italian painters? Apparently a lot of people don't. Don't feel guilty, even for many art historians the names don't ring a bell. This is in contrast to Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Bernini and Titian. These artists need little introduction: Italian art, culture and identity are usually drawn from... 

13 years later, this legendary series does get a fitting finale. Welcome to f-cking Deadwood; where the fight against modernity reigns supreme

Deadwood was one of the best television series ever. Despite its many awards, HBO pulled the plug after only three seasons. After the abrupt stop, HBO promised to end Deadwood in an appropriate way through two TV movies. However, despite fans' requests and actors' insistence, the promises never materialised. Until... 

Laundry is still hanging on the line and food is still on the tables in restaurants. The doomsday scenario of Chernobyl, now as an HBO TV series.

On 26 April 1986, an explosion occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. To this day, it is one of the most catastrophic disasters caused by man. The effects of the nuclear disaster are felt even today. For many, Chernobyl represents a long-forgotten memory. Places with a macabre history have always drawn people and... 

Why you should come see 'Struggle! 100 Years of Women's Suffrage' should come and see it

In the struggle for women's suffrage, the 'ordinary' housewife from Ten Boer in Groningen played just as vital a role as the widely praised Aletta Jacobs. She too walked in demonstrations, appeared in her grandmother's costume during protests and sewed a banner for the movement in her kitchen or living room. Like her peers from the rest of the Netherlands, she fought... 

In Gentleman Jack, Anne Lister does not let established gender roles hold her back.

Anne Lister. This 19th-century lady was a pioneer in many fields: she climbed mountains, travelled far away on her own and was successful in business. However, she gained fame mainly through her private life. Anne Lister has been called Britain's first modern lesbian. During her lifetime, she kept several diaries, in which she recorded her erotic escapades with ladies in... 

True Detective makes up for season 2's flop in third season (we saw the first episodes).

The 2014 first season of True Detective was a huge success. A Southern murder mystery with an occult twist. Besides the 'who did it' storyline, the season was mostly about the complicated characters of Martin Hart and Rust Cole (played convincingly by Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey). There was a raw and palpable chemistry between the two. The... 

With the Drents Museum back in time to forgotten Nubia- Land of the Black Pharaohs

When one thinks of pharaohs, one quickly thinks of Egypt, the land of pyramids and the Nile. However, south of Egypt - in the Nile region of present-day Sudan - kings and pharaohs also ruled. This area was called Nubia. For a long time, this culture and society was portrayed as a colony of Egypt. Unjustly so. The new exhibition Nubia- Land of the... 

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"; Chihuly's glass masterpieces dominate the Groninger Museum

According to those in the know, he is a master of glass creations: Dale Chihuly. Dynamic, colourful and fascinating. It is not just glass art, but installation art. The world-famous American artist's works are a feast for the eyes. Sensations of light and colour. Although the name may not ring a bell right away for most people, there is a good chance... 

'No faith in the system.' The second season of Netflix's Making a Murderer.

"Don't let Netflix tell you what to think". The Netflix documentary Making a Murderer caused a huge stir in the United States and the rest of the world in 2016. Society was divided into two camps: those who believed Steven Avery was guilty and those who believed he was once again innocent in prison.... 

Freek and Hella de Jonge hold open house at Groninger Museum

Finally, the Groninger Museum has got it together. For six weeks, you can admire Hella and Freek de Jonge at the museum. Not only their art, but also the people behind the works. Art meets performance art meets reality show. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A glimpse into the couple's kitchen; also literally, because Hella goes into the... 

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