Rumour about Freedom*

An androgynous wood nymph is staring directly at the viewer from a mysterious canvas by Felix de Rooy. A peaceful demonstration is in progress on a metres-long canvas by Raafat Ballan, and in a work by Jan Wolkers 99 white balls made from cork appear to be bursting off a bright orange surface. A ‘spider’s web’ by Madeleine Berkhemer, made from sensuous red tights and glass spheres, is suspended from the ceiling, and a metronome by Wim T. Schippers is incessantly ticking Ting Boom. The exhibition Rumour about Freedom is a presentation of recent acquisitions, added to the collection of Stedelijk Museum Schiedam since Anne de Haij took office as its director in 2021. The works all convey some kind of ‘rumour about freedom’, tapping into the desire to be truly free, in art and beyond.

Raafat Ballan, Centrifugal forces – rumour about freedom, 2024, oil on canvas, triptych 290 x 600 cm, collection Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, purchase with support from the Mondriaan Fund

Freedom as a leitmotif
The title of the exhibition was derived from the monumental triptych Centrifugal Forces – Rumour about Freedom (2024) by Raafat Ballan (1990). Portraying a group of people engaged in a peaceful protest, the work alludes to all people, all over the world, who speak out against injustice and war. In a world where freedom is under threat, Rumour about Freedom aims to offer a space for reflection and the imagination.

The exhibition features work by artists like Raafat Ballan, Felix de Rooy, Helen Verhoeven, Rinella Alfonso, Wim T. Schippers, Ria van Eyk, Jan Wolkers, Woody van Amen, Madeleine Berkhemer, and Ayşen Kaptanoğlu. Artists who – each in their own way – express a sense of freedom in their work.

Anne de Haij: “Especially at a time when many people are experiencing powerlessness, this exhibition aims to create a space where they can hope and long for freedom and justice.”

Together, these recent acquisitions also provide an insight into Stedelijk Museum Schiedam’s strategies for expanding its own collection: highlighting social commitment and contemporary developments, and showcasing a wide variety of perspectives.

Madeleine Berkhemer, Garden of Delight II, 2010, tights, plastic, plexiglass and glass, collection Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, purchased with support from the Mondriaan Fund

Recent acquisitions to the collection
The desire for freedom is also a recurring theme in the work of Rotterdam artist Madeleine Berkhemer (1973 – 2019). She most frequently worked with sheer fabric normally used for making tights, creating sensuous spatial installations by stretching and tying up this material.

Rumour about Freedom features one of her so-called tension sculptures from the series Garden of Delight, as well as the sculpture Fruit Basket and a number of collages. Her art reflects the desire of women to have the freedom to explore and determine their own identity and sexuality, regardless of established (patriarchal) standards.

Among the works on display by Helen Verhoeven (1974) is the installation Paintings Part 1 (2010), a series of 41 small painted portraits of some of her well-known and lesser-known predecessors in art. This recent donation of her work to both Stedelijk Museum Schiedam and Centraal Museum Utrecht has contributed to the museum’s ambition to include more work by women artists in its collection. Currently, only 10% of the artworks included in the ‘Collectie Nederland’ (the Dutch National Cultural Heritage Collection) were made by women.

Ayşen Kaptanoğlu, Mother, 2022, 100 × 110 cm, acrylic on linen, collection Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, purchased with support from the Mondriaan Fund

The colourful and poignant works of Ayşen Kaptanoğlu (1985) focus on topical and social issues. The recently acquired work Mother (2022) by Kaptanoğlu ties in with Stedelijk Museum Schiedam’s ambition to use art as a means to encourage discussions on social themes. Portraying a mother figure, this work deals with the expectations and pressure our society puts on mothers. Even when confronted with violence or abuse, they are expected to remain strong and stable.

Artists from the region
An important recent acquisition is TRACK42 by Woody van Amen (1936). For this art project he asked 42 artists to react to a drawing consisting only of dots. This led to 42 small artworks by Schiedam- and Rotterdam-based artists, including Cor Kraat (1946), Gyz la Rivière (1976), Klaas Gubbels (1934), Marjolijn van den Assem (1947), and Pat Bloom. This acquisition wonderfully underpins Stedelijk Museum Schiedam’s ambition to maintain close relationships with artists from the Rotterdam, Schiedam, and Waterweg area.

Felix Rene de Rooy, The Temptation of St. Anthony, 1975, oil on wood, 112.5 x 113.0 x 6.5 cm, collection Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, photo Tom Haartsen, purchased with support from the Mondriaan Fund

From a Caribbean perspective to Cobra
Dutch museums have long been blind to the qualities of artists from the Caribbean part of the Netherlands. Since 2022, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam has been determined to annually add at least one work of art to its collection that was made by an artist who lives, works, or has roots in that part of the world. The museum has since acquired works by artists like Eugenie Boon, Tirzo Martha, Serana Angelista, Avantia Damberg, and Gilleam Trapenberg. In this presentation we are showing recent acquisitions by Felix de Rooy (1952), including the works Forest Spirit (2007) and The Temptation of St. Anthony (1975), as well as work by Rinella Alfonso (1995).

Karel Appel, Chicken, 1951, bronze and oil paint, 45.0 x 55.0 x 29.0 cm, collection Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, Gifted by Hans Sonnenberg, Rotterdam, photo Tom Haartsen

Although the exhibition’s main focus lies on recent acquisitions, it also includes works from the Cobra collection, a favourite component of our art collection. The Cobra movement made a huge impact on the international development of visual art, and these artists have always remained extremely popular. On display are a number of true crowd-pleasers that tie in with the theme of this collection presentation, including several works by Karel Appel (1921 – 2006), Corneille (1922 – 2010), and Eugene Brands (1913 – 2002).

Abstract art
The exhibition also pays attention to abstract art. Included in Stedelijk Museum Schiedam’s collection are works by artists like Jan Schoonhoven and herman de vries, who were active in abstract art from the 1960s. Recently, the museum acquired the work BOLLEN 6 (ORANGE) by Jan Wolkers (1925 – 2007), as well as various artworks from the series P.S postscriptum (1975 – 1978) by Ria van Eyk (1938). Thanks to the support of Cultuurfonds, we are furthermore conducting research into the role women artists have played in abstract art. Many of these artists were never recognised and only some of their works can be found in museum collections. Coinciding with this collection presentation, the exhibition Lou Loeber. Artist and Idealist marks the start of this programme.

Unknown work by Wim T. Schippers
Wim T. Schippers (1942) is undoubtedly one of the most striking and witty Dutch artists. In 2019, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam presented his famous peanut butter floor, which was not only an absolute crowd-puller, but also – not entirely unexpectedly – led to a considerable amount of criticism. Thanks to a long-term loan from a private collector, the museum is now able to show the public two important installations by Schippers from the 1960s:  Divisions (1966) and Ting Boom (1967). The works were restored especially for this presentation, and can now be admired once again in a wonderful condition.

The acquisitions were partly made possible thanks to a biennial contribution from the Mondriaan Fund’s Acquisition Programs Grant as well as contributions by artists and private collectors.