{"id":141446,"date":"2026-10-06T13:42:52","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T11:42:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/?p=141446"},"modified":"2026-10-06T14:28:51","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T12:28:51","slug":"een-nieuwe-koers-bij-het-groninger-museum-denderend-op-de-afgrond-af","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/10\/een-nieuwe-koers-bij-het-groninger-museum-denderend-op-de-afgrond-af\/","title":{"rendered":"A new direction for the Groninger Museum: hurtling towards the abyss?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Back to the Future<\/i><\/span>; under this banner, four new exhibitions are on display at the Groninger Museum. Launching all at once \u2013 that takes some nerve. This is precisely the Groninger Museum\u2019s intention; a radically different wind is blowing, and although I can appreciate a wild and unpredictable storm, the recent press conference at the museum has not (yet) convinced me. Quite the opposite, in fact.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the preview, we\u2019ll be treated to a grilled cheese sandwich with Gouda cheese and kimchi: an interesting combination that brings East and West together and is intended to represent the cultural soul of Groningen \u2013 the Netherlands\u2019 youngest city \u2013: bold, dynamic and full of spirit. In addition, this new artistic direction is accompanied by a completely new corporate identity. <\/span><\/p>\n

Building up or falling apart<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

According to some, the museum\u2019s distinctive character has returned. The question is whether this is only achievable through conceptual art. Should the fascinating <\/span>blockbusters <\/i><\/span>In other words, are crowd-pullers not included? Art is a reflection that, consciously or unconsciously, conveys a message. The \u2018beauty\u2019 and\/or \u2018visual appeal\u2019 of \u2018traditional\u2019 art does not detract from this. <\/span><\/p>\n

The museum has been going through a rough patch for some time now. Financial losses, clashing co-directors, and discontent amongst the staff. The action plan presented by the new management in the spring \u2013 based on the three core values of \u2018collective\u2019, \u2018interdisciplinary\u2019 and \u2018experimental\u2019 \u2013 has been accepted by the municipality and the province of Groningen. The days of Waterhouse, Rodin and Bowie exhibitions seem to be over for good. However, it has been recommended that at least one major and high-profile exhibition be organised each year. Given the current direction, it is doubtful whether that will happen. <\/span><\/p>\n

The inspiration for the new vision comes from former director Frans Haks (1978\u20131995) and Alessandro Mendini\u2019s museum building; a masterpiece of postmodern architecture. The museum aims to apply the spirit of the times that prevailed during the design and construction phases to the present day and to captivate today\u2019s visitors with it. Haks did not like white: the minimalist black-and-white press kits would probably not have met with his approval. <\/span><\/p>\n

Out with the old, in with the new <\/b><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n

The fact that Chihuly\u2019s <\/span>Grand Stairwell Installation<\/i><\/span> \u2013 \u2018most expensive purchase ever\u2019 \u2013 has been taken down from the wall, which speaks volumes. It\u2019s part of the big clear-out. Opening four new exhibitions at the same time is daring, but also overwhelming. <\/span>The Architect & The Housewife: Cleaning the House, Building the Future<\/i><\/span>:<\/span> <\/i>What is the situation regarding gender relations in the art world? Who builds the house and who is responsible for cleaning it? In the exhibition <\/span>The Convent of Pleasure<\/i><\/span> Ani Schulze presents an episode of her series in which she also draws attention to De Ploeg and, in particular, the artist Alida Pott. In <\/span>Keramikos Carrier Bag<\/i><\/span> The duo Matthew Lutz-Kinoy and Natasuko Uchino have selected works from the Groninger Museum that engage in a dialogue with their own ceramics. There were some interesting pieces and collaborations amongst them. Getting children excited about the new edition of the Children\u2019s Biennale <\/span>Playing House <\/i><\/span>It\u2019ll be fine. Colourful and with plenty of opportunities to touch, climb on and cuddle. Another positive: the original reception desk by architect Alessandro Mendini has been reinstalled, and the pavilions are being put to good use. <\/span><\/p>\n

Cleaning or scrubbing away<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

A symbol of the major clean-up at the Groninger Museum came in the form of the museum\u2019s own bar of soap in the press pack. The scent was a little clinical. Just as the new vision feels. Sometimes, in the rush to build something new, the past is treated too harshly. Groningen is full of examples of this: cleaning or scrubbing away something that can no longer be restored. <\/span><\/p>\n

In an interview with former director Andreas Bl\u00fchm during the coronavirus pandemic \u2013 when the museum was suddenly forced to close whilst the Rolling Stones exhibition was running \u2013 it became clear to me that crowd-pullers are expensive and risky. Director Roos Gortzak also describes them as unsustainable. Yet the Groninger Museum\u2019s reputation does, to a large extent, rest on this sort of international exhibition. Visitors came from far and wide. <\/span><\/p>\n

Can the new vision (still) live up to these high expectations? In recent years, Forum (Groningen) has gradually earned the title of most popular and most fascinating \u2018museum\u2019 and cultural <\/span>hotspot<\/i><\/span> taken over. It is also well known that museum-goers often give the museums in their own city or region a miss. Conceptual art may stimulate many a mind, but is that enough for the loyal, occasional or future visitor to the Groninger Museum?<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Back to the future; onder die noemer zijn in het Groninger Museum vier nieuwe tentoonstellingen te zien. Tegelijkertijd in premi\u00e8re gegaan; dat is lef hebben. Dit is precies de intentie van het Groninger Museum; er gaat een radicaal andere wind waaien en hoewel ik kan genieten van een woeste en onvoorspelbare storm, heeft de afgelopen […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1143,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"activitypub_content_warning":"","activitypub_content_visibility":"","activitypub_max_image_attachments":3,"activitypub_interaction_policy_quote":"anyone","activitypub_status":"federated","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4757,15614,16518,11687],"tags":[5744,7616,58],"class_list":["post-141446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-beeldende-kunst-2","category-beleid","category-featured","category-donatie-gevraagd","tag-groningen","tag-groninger-museum","tag-recensie"],"featured_image_url":[],"post_author":"Annika Hoogeveen","assigned_categories":"BEELDEND, beleid, featured, WAARDEER & DONEER!","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":56603,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2018\/05\/100-jaar-de-ploeg-in-het-groninger-museum-een-visuele-traktatie\/","url_meta":{"origin":141446,"position":0},"title":"100 years of De Ploeg at the Groninger Museum: a visual treat","author":"Annika Hoogeveen","date":"28 May 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Met zijn kleurrijke tentoonstelling Avant-garde in Groningen. De Ploeg 1918-1928 trapt het Groninger Museum (onofficieel) het jaar van De Ploeg af. Op 5 juni 2018 is het 100 jaar geleden dat een aantal jonge Groningse kunstenaars zich afzette tegen de gezette (kunst) orde met hun collectief De Ploeg nieuwe wegen\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Alleen voor leden"","block_context":{"text":"Alleen voor leden","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/service\/members-only\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/DSC_3061-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/DSC_3061-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/DSC_3061-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/DSC_3061-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":57946,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2018\/09\/freek-en-hella-de-jonge-houden-open-huis-in-het-groninger-museum\/","url_meta":{"origin":141446,"position":1},"title":"Freek and Hella de Jonge hold open house at Groninger Museum","author":"Annika Hoogeveen","date":"13 September 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Eindelijk heeft het Groninger Museum het voor elkaar. Zes weken lang kun je Hella en Freek de Jonge bewonderen in het museum. Niet alleen hun kunst, maar ook de mensen achter de werken. Kunst meets performance art meets reality show. Van 10.00 t\/m 17.00 uur. Een blik werpen in de\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "BEELDEND"","block_context":{"text":"BEELDEND","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beeldende-kunst-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/DSC_5989.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/DSC_5989.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/DSC_5989.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/DSC_5989.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":93993,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2024\/04\/verborgen-verleden-en-nieuwe-inzichten-in-groninger-museum-150-jaar-behind-the-scenes\/","url_meta":{"origin":141446,"position":2},"title":"Hidden past and new insights in 'Groninger Museum 150 years - Behind the Scenes'","author":"Annika Hoogeveen","date":"10 April 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"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 one hundred and fifty-year anniversary with - among other things - a...","rel":"","context":"In "BEELDEND"","block_context":{"text":"BEELDEND","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beeldende-kunst-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC_1354.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC_1354.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC_1354.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/DSC_1354.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58916,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2018\/12\/beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder-chihulys-glazen-meesterwerken-domineren-het-groninger-museum\/","url_meta":{"origin":141446,"position":3},"title":"\"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder\"; Chihuly's glass masterpieces dominate the Groninger Museum","author":"Annika Hoogeveen","date":"8 December 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Volgens de kenners is hij een meester op het gebied van glascreaties:\u00a0Dale Chihuly. Dynamisch, kleurrijk en fascinerend. Het is niet alleen glaskunst, maar installatiekunst. De werken van de wereldberoemde Amerikaanse kunstenaar zijn een lust voor het oog. Sensaties van licht en kleur. 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Rolling Stones -Unzipped at the Groninger Museum","author":"Annika Hoogeveen","date":"6 July 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"You Can\u2019t Always Get What You Want. Nadat corona roet in het eten gooide in 2020 \u2013 de tentoonstelling was slechts vier weken te zien \u2013 krijgen bezoekers een tweede kans om te genieten van The Rolling Stones- Unzipped. In de tussentijd is de legendarische drummer Charlie Watts op 80-jarige\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "ERFGOED"","block_context":{"text":"ERFGOED","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/erfgoed\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/The-Rolling-Stones-Unzipped-8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/The-Rolling-Stones-Unzipped-8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/The-Rolling-Stones-Unzipped-8.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/The-Rolling-Stones-Unzipped-8.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":95909,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2024\/12\/eindbestemming-groningen\/","url_meta":{"origin":141446,"position":5},"title":"Final destination Groningen","author":"Annika Hoogeveen","date":"16 December 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Arrive in Groningen like a Van Gogh. 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