Like a Flaming Comet: The Rise of Magdalena Abakanowicz in the Netherlands

Abstract

After her success at the first Biennales of Lausanne, Magdalena Abakanowicz’s name soared like a comet. Her gallery in Lausanne played a major role in this, and in 1968 organized a solo exhibition with three-dimensional sculptures of sisal (Abakans) traveling through a large part of Northern Europe. Prior to this show, a group exhibition of Polish tapestries, including works of Abakanowicz, traveled through Germany and the Netherlands (1964–1965). Both exhibitions were shown in Eindhoven at the Van Abbemuseum thanks to the energetic young director Jean Leering.

More or less simultaneously with the solo, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam organized the international exhibition Perspectief in textiel (1969) in which Abakanowicz participated with three large works. Curator Wil Bertheux was responsible for both the layout and design of the exhibition. The show was a major success, a landmark in the history of the fiber art movement.

 At the same time and again thanks to the support of Jean Leering, Abakanowicz got an important commission for the decoration of the reception room of the new Provinciehuis in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. The enormous environment Bois le Duc (1970–1971), height more than 7 meters; width 22 meters, is considered one of her most imposing art works.

Keywords:

• Magdalena Abakanowicz
• fiber art
• Van Abbemuseum Eindhoven
• Jean Leering
• Perspectief in textiel (1969)
• Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
• Wil Bertheux
• Bois le Duc (1970–71)

Notes

Acknowledgments

Karin Balog, Photographic Archive/Digitization, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

Liesbeth Crommelin, Emeritus Curator Applied Art Stedelijk Museum

Diana Franssen, Curator & Head research, Van Abbemuseum Eindhoven

Notes

1 Alice Pauli to Jean Leering, July 8, 1964 and August 13, 1964. Archive of the exhibition Poolse wandtapijten. Correspondence (inv. nr. 151). Eindhoven: Van Abbemuseum.

2 Alice Pauli to Jean Leering, February 2, 1968 and March 12, 1968 Archive of the exhibition Abakanowicz: 2 and 3-dimensionale werken. Correspondence (inv. nr. 193). Eindhoven: Van Abbemuseum.

3 Alice Pauli to E. de Wilde, December 16, 1968. Item STED1008982. Amsterdam: Archive Stedelijk Museum.

4 Dienstreizen van directeuren W. Sandberg en E. de Wilde en andere museummedewerkers [Dossier Missions abroad Directors W. Sandberg and E. de Wilde, and other Museumworkers] 1956–1979, inv. nr. 898: 1967, archiefstuk 07.355. Archive Stedelijk Museum, access No. 30041. Amsterdam: City Archive.

5 E. de Wilde to Alice Pauli December 19, 1968. Item STED1008981. Amsterdam: Archive Stedelijk Museum, p. 38).

6 For further details about the installation by Wil Bertheux: Interview with Liesbeth Crommelin by Watson (2015, 107).

7 Advies inzake een wandkleed in het nieuwe Provinciehuis te ’s-Hertogenbosch van Jean Leering, Directeur van het Stedelijk van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven. 1967. Inv.nr. 1104–013_0025–0026. Eindhoven: Archive Van Abbemuseum.

Additional information

Marjan Boot is emeritus curator applied arts and design at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Earlier she worked as a curator at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague. Her career started as assistant professor at the Institute of Art History of Amsterdam at the University of Amsterdam. In more than 30 years she has curated numerous exhibitions and published many articles and catalogs. Noteworthy was the first ever museum show of Grayson Perry: Grayson Perry. Guerrilla Tactics (2002). The exhibition and publication The Gijs+Emmy Spectacle. Fashion and Jewellery Design 1967–1972 (2014) marked the end of her museum career. In 2015 she received the Oranje Nassau knighthood for her merits.

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