Abstract art by women, then and now*

*From our collection

28 September 2024 - 2 March 2025

The Stedelijk Museum Schiedam presents Abstract art by women, then and now, a special collection presentation of abstract art by four generations of female artists. The oldest generation is represented by Lou Loeber, born in 1894; the youngest by contemporary artists Machteld Rullens (1988) and Elsemarijn Bruys (1989), whose works were recently acquired for the collection. This presentation complements the exhibition Adya and Otto. Pioneers within the avant-garde, in which the museum pays tribute to Adya van Rees-Dutilh. It is in the same spirit of recognition that Abstract art by women, then and now celebrates the women who have followed in her footsteps.

Machteld Rullens, Box in Box Holy, 2023, cardboard, oil paint, acrylic, resin, bolts, 73x73x30cm, Collectie Stedelijk Museum Schiedam

A journey through abstract art
When the museum began collecting contemporary modern Dutch art in 1954, the focus was primarily on young artists and new trends in art – which is why the abstract art of the 1960s and 1970s is now so well represented in the collection. In this art, visible reality no longer plays a role. It is all about form, colour, composition and structure. Many of these artists were inspired by predecessors such as Mondrian and Picasso, as well as the art of the Bauhaus and Russian Constructivism. Adya and Otto van Rees also made significant contributions to the development of abstract art through their pioneering work.

Maria van Elk, Bij het begin eindigen, door de hoek gerond, 1984, vetkrijt op papier, 42,0 x 59,5 cm, collectie Stedelijk Museum Schiedam

Karin Daan, Zonder titel, 1975, zeefdruk, 65,0 x 65,0 cm, collectie Stedelijk Museum Schiedam

Women in abstract art
Post-war abstract art is often seen as a purely ‘male movement’. However, the opposite is true. In the 1960s, several female artists made their mark on major innovations in the world of art. But they did not always receive the recognition they deserved, and their work is less well known than that of their male counterparts. Even the work of Adya van Rees-Dutilh received less recognition after her death than that of Otto van Rees. Following our tribute to Adya in the exhibition Adya and Otto. Pioneers within the avant-garde, in this room we now celebrate the women who followed in her footsteps. Less seen and under-appreciated, they too deserve their rightful place in the history of art.

The collection presentation includes works by Lou Loeber, Karin Daan (1944), Christa van Santen (1932), Ria van Eyk (1938), Els de Groot (1940), Neeltje Korteweg (1944), Yvonne Kracht (1931), Truce Wilmink (1943), Sonja Vincent-Nienhuis (1928), Greet van Amstel (1903-1981), Corrie de Boer (1932-2023), Maria van Elk (1943), Marijke de Goey (1947), Fatima Barznge (1968), Machteld Rullens (1988) and Elsemarijn Bruys (1989).

Header image: Elsemarijn Bruys, WARP, 2024, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam collection, photo: We Document Art Ben Van den Berghe, courtesy of Contour Gallery