Exhibitions and Activities

Since the early 20th-century arrival of the first creative pioneers in Bergen, its landscape of polders, woods, dunes, and sea has inspired countless artists. Moved by its magical beauty and unique variety, their drive to immortalise this landscape seems timeless. In the Back of the Sea demonstrates this through the work of almost 40 artists from 1900 to the present. The exhibition is also a journey through multiple artistic interpretations of that landscape, with interesting encounters that transcend time and discipline. Art historian and guest curator Eliane Odding selected key works and unexpected gems from the Kranenburgh collection alongside pieces from museums, artists, and private collections, including new works making their museum debut.

The title In the Back of the Sea (In de rug van de zee) refers to a quote by artist Jaap Min in W. van Toorn’s 2001 publication Jaap Min, Lange reis door Noord-Holland.

The exuberant and humorous work of artist and ecofeminist Lara Schnitger (NL, 1969) pointedly addresses issues around women’s status, gender inequality, and sexual oppression. She utilises textiles to craft both intimate sculptural pieces and expansive installations, often inviting public participation. Her solo exhibition at Museum Kranenburgh introduces the public to the diverse oeuvre of this internationally acclaimed artist, who is underexposed in the Netherlands. For Stitch Witch, Schnitger has developed new works that explore the connection between humans and nature.

Museum Kranenburgh was awarded the 2024 Agnes van den Brandeler Museum Prize for this exhibition. In January 2025, the publication Lara Schnitger, Stitch Witch will be published, featuring contributions from curator Nina Folkersma and author Niña Weijers.

In Landscape as a Cabinet of Curiosities, artist and researcher Arne Hendriks (NL, 1971) invites you, to participate in a debate about the future of the Egmondermeer’s landscape, one of the Netherlands’ oldest polders. It is shaped by a wide variety of activities, plans, and desires, from serving as a cherished walking area and herb-rich meadows to providing land for export tulips, dairy farming, and hobby horses. Hendricks asks visitors to give a voice to all kinds of landscape elements, such as farmhouses, winding roads, and black-tailed godwits. He incorporates these voices into a wall-sized collage to make the complexity of the polder visible and open for discussion. Since early 2024, Hendriks has been involved in conversations about the future of the Egmondermeer at the invitation of the municipality of Bergen.

Meet Farmer Boris, the most popular farmer in the Netherlands! An entire generation of children has grown up with this jolly little farmer, created by children’s book illustrator Philip Hopman and writer Ted van Lieshout. Philip Hopman’s original illustrations bring you into the world of Farmer Boris, who lives on a farm with his brother Berend, sister Sam, and a host of animals, where they have all kinds of adventures. Farmer Boris! is the fifth in a series of participatory projects by Studio C, Kranenburgh’s educational studio, where young and old can get hands-on in an artist-designed studio. Throughout the exhibition are special Farmer Boris scavenger hunts and fun weekly workshops for children aged 5 to 12.