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.

Artist Harmen Brethouwer (NL, 1960) utilises two basic shapes in his work: a square wall panel and a freestanding conical form. While these foundational elements remain constant, he imparts individuality to each piece without any restrictions in style, technique, or material. Brethouwer is particularly interested in historical and traditional art forms. Rather than being driven by nostalgia, his motivation stems from the desire to collaborate with specialists and craftspeople, creating works that offer new insights and enrich art with fresh possibilities. He sees his role in the creative process as an impresario, overseeing the production of his work without taking centre stage.

Harmen Brethouwer

Harmen Brethouwer studied at the art academies in Kampen and Arnhem. He has exhibited at museums and galleries at home and abroad since the 1990s, including solo exhibitions at Rotterdam’s Museum Boijmans van Beuningen and Utrecht’s Centraal Museum. His work is in the collections of the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam; Centraal Museum, Utrecht; Museum Voorlinden, Wassenaar; Museum Arnhem; Museum Beelden aan Zee, The Hague; Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht; as well as in private and company collections.

Painter in Essence showcases Jan Roeland’s (NL, 1935–2016) paintings and drawings of everyday objects, reflecting over fifty years of artistry. The exhibition includes many of his depictions of plants, flowers, and animals, where he adeptly balanced strict abstraction and charming humour. Museum Kranenburgh presents this exhibition as part of a series exploring nature and natural habitats. Art historian and guest curator Melchior Jaspers has selected around 30 works from galleries, companies, and private collections, with some being shown in a museum setting for the first time. The exhibition continues in Kranenburgh’s villa in the educational presentation Deceptively Simple.

Jan Roeland

Self-taught Jan Roeland trained as a teacher but devoted his life to painting. In 1959, he settled in Amsterdam, where he continued to live and work until he passed away in 2016. He taught at the Academy of Fine Arts in Enschede and the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam and exhibited at galleries in Amsterdam and The Hague. The Kunsthal in Rotterdam devoted a solo exhibition to his work in 2017. His work is included in the collections of among others the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, the Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, the Rijksmuseum Twenthe, Enschede, the Dordrechts Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, as well as in private and corporate collections.