Materials and craftsmanship are important themes in contemporary art. The physical properties of materials and the processes of making can determine the meaning and our perception of artworks. The following exhibitions show in different ways how artists work with materials and craft techniques to explore deeper concepts and ideas about the physical world.
Gallery Vriend van Bavink | KISS, RIDE, REPEAT | Aldo van den Broek | Centre
In this exhibition Aldo van den Broek explores the materiality of discarded objects. Through an intricate process of building, scraping, and rebuilding, van den Broek transforms these materials into richly layered paintings. His work delves into themes of decay, renewal, and the emotional weight that physical surfaces carry, engaging deeply with the idea of how materials shape and reflect our experiences.
andriesse ~ eyck gallery | Théâtre de Tréteaux | Mik Bakker | Jordaan
In her solo exhibition, Mik Bakker invites the viewer into a world where raw materials and traditional craftsmanship are pivotal. Bakker’s work emphasizes the essential forms of objects and spaces, creating a timeless dialogue between sculpture, design, and architecture. By focusing on these fundamental elements, the exhibition highlights the importance of materials in shaping both the artistic object and the space around it.
Bildhalle | Premieres | Group exhibition | Centre
Premieres showcases a group of artists exploring the boundaries of photography through sophisticated techniques and careful material choices. Combining Dutch and Asian artistic traditions, these artists highlight photography as both a technical and material art form. The work shows how material and craftsmanship are essential to the process of photography.
Galerie Onrust | Group exhibition | West
The group exhibition featuring Henri Jacobs, Marijn van Kreij, Emma Talbot, Derk Thijs and Toon Verhoef focuses on the craft of working on paper. Jacobs weaves coloured paper into layered compositions, Van Kreij plays with repetition and appropriation of icons, while Talbot uses her drawings to explore current themes. Thijs ignores perspective laws in his watercolours, and Verhoef builds searching, spontaneous images, always looking for visual tension. Each of these artists emphasises the physical act of making and the process of creating in relation to paper as a material.
Galerie Ron Mandos x Atelier Van Lieshout Pop Up Exhibition | Me is a Designer | Joep van Lieshout | Centre
As an artist who resists the traditional art circuit, Van Lieshout sees everything as a potential work of art – from tools and machines to furniture and toilets. His work emerges from the physical interaction with materials, merging craft and functionality and leaving behind classical art values such as uniqueness and authenticity.
