Grounding reality as art, ZERO and the Informals
The new exhibition 'Grounding Reality as Art' shows the connection between ZERO, the abstract work of the Informals from the 1950s and contemporary work related to the Zero movement. The experiment with matter is central. 04 opens on 9 February.
Informal art
In art history, a distinction has been made since the early 1950s between oil paintings and works of art that are informal. In addition to paint, the latter also consist of other materials such as ash, sand, plaster, wood and ready-made objects. Informal works often have only one colour and are non-representational. Bram Bogart is an important forerunner in this era after Cobra. He influences the work of 'The Dutch Informal Group', which consists of Armando, Jan Schoonhoven, Henk Peeters, Kees van Bohemen, Jan Henderikse, Rik Jager and Fred Sieger.
ZERO = something that means nothing
In the early 1960s, Armando announced the death sentence of the classical oil painting. 'A new art must come (...) an art that is no longer art but a given fact.' The Informals make a new start, their work transforms into ZERO. Thickly applied paint and added materials create relief. Monochrome white is leading. A work of art has a number and is 'something that means nothing'. At the kitchen table, Jan Schoonhoven glues his reliefs together with cardboard, wood and glue. A roller blind is a source of inspiration. Schoonhoven wants to 'found reality as art.' Thanks to Nul, making and looking at art is no longer a weighty affair.
From NUL to NOW
In the 1970s, Zero art gains extra added value. There is room for new materials and for incident light. Personal experiences and imperfections reveal the hand of the artist. Monochrome white changes into grey or red. Van den Ende uses a system to create the painting. Aubertin materialises fire. Erb shows silence. Emile Circkens is the great unknown. His work is on display for the first time in the EICAS museum. He measures himself against Jan Schoonhoven. Monique Bosman makes the transition to the present with grids and blocks of recycled textiles, cardboard and paper. The basement is reserved for the artist duo Visualsbynature: Roelie Zanting and Erwin Zijlstra. They create – just like Nul artist herman de vries (deliberately lower case letters) – nature-inspired works of art.
A number of activities are being organised around the exhibition:
• The opening will take place on Sunday 9 February at 3 p.m.
• Guided tours are available on request during 04
• Children are challenged with a special Discovery Tour.
• Every last Sunday of the month between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. there is a workshop (8-88 years) to make (zero) art yourself.
Want to know more about the museum or 04? Mail to [email protected]|0570 745075 | www.eicas.nl
Opening program for February 9, 2025:
• From 2:45 PM: walk-in
• 3:15 PM: welcome speech
• 3:20 PM: Sandra Manuputty,
Bert Kuipers and other speakers
• 3:45 PM: halls open
• 4:15 PM: chat
• 5:00 PM: conclusion
