The mixed media art by Albert Niemeyer often portrays historic figures and events. This particular piece is a comment on the commercial side of the American society in general and specifically the influence of pop-art. A donut is used as a halo above the portrait of Andy Warhol who of course is the embodiment of pop-art. You can also see a disformed donkey puppet. This comments on the democratic system (the Democratic Party have a donkey in their flag) that is in itself far from perfect and heavily supported by large corporations. Hence the Michelin figure. On the right you can find a reference to the Oscars in the form of a golden puppet which is also far from perfect. On the right and bottom edge you can see fragment of a book that Warhol wrote: From A to B and back again. 

An early work by this well-known and versatile Dutch artist. This painting is part of a series of large blue paintings. The original exhibition in the early 1980’s drew a lot of attention. Former queen Juliana of The Netherlands visited the exhibition and was noticeably impressed.  The subject of the series is temptation and lost love. Two opposites in one work of art. This painting was a donation to the museum by a private collector.

Ad Arma is also known for his abstract paintings, etchings, ceramic sculptures and glass objects. He works at night to avoid distraction. He won the title Dutch Artist of the year in 2007 and was honoured with the title of Brilliant Artist 2022, an honorific title for Dutch artists.

Before you enter the museum you will see three sculptures. One of them is Siro by Geert Verstappen. It consists of some basic shapes and forms like a triangle, disc and a fraction of a sphere. The name refers to the Greek and Roman history and myths. This name fits the sturdy structure well. Most of the artworks of this artist are made of robust materials like bronze and steel although sometimes he uses the combination of glass and aluminium to create a more fragile and transparent image.

All works by Geert Verstappen show both a sense of perfection and imperfection. What is perceived as perfect from one angle can look imperfect from another standpoint. The tension between the two make these sculptures exciting and of everlasting quality.

The abstract paintings by Gerard te Wierik show his love for designs. His graphic education shows through in each artwork. His inspiration comes from nature and famous painters like Jackson Pollock and Vincent van Gogh. This inspiration translates into heavily layered abstracts with a lot of depth and intriguing dynamics. His ‘Movements’ series consists of both monumental and small paintings which are basically stills from natures movements, like – for instance – waving grass. These stills are a reaction against the hectic digital society that never stops. His works diverts the viewers’ attention to nature, where one can experience serenity, meditation and contemplation.

This ‘ancestress’ is a beautiful example of the craftsmanship of Hans Janssen. The stoneware body of the sculpture is covered in various metal powders that have been sprayed with ammoniac and hydrochloric acid. An experimental process with a beautiful and distinct appearance. The glass headdress gives the figure dignity and status. His inspiration comes from ancient cultures, science fiction and the occult. Hans Janssen always went his own way, without any commercial compromise. His techniques are largely self-taught and the result of many years of experimenting. Recent developments are interactive glass paintings and wall sculptures.    

Paintings by Jacques Tange are colourful, humorous, playful and often cheeky. There is always more than meets the eye and there are often hidden messages. The artist almost never makes portraits of specific people but rather comments on people and society in general. His paintings tell a story and play with our sense of reality. Cats have human like faces, horses have wheels for hooves and fish can be cuddly pets. The women that Jacques Tange portrays are strong individuals. This particular painting is about the artists’ father, who used to be a captain at sea. The letters to his wife brought him closer to her than he really was. There is symbolism in every detail; the jacket, the pattern of the sofa, the view through the window and the glass of wine. You can hardly put a label on Tange’s work, it stands on its own. 

Jan van Lokhorst took off where the COBRA movement ended. His expressive semi-abstract paintings show a raw energy. Most striking is his use of colour and the heavy lines that form figures. The colours and lines are chosen intuitively and emotionally. Van Lokhorst is an expressionist painter pur sang. He truly appreciates the materials he works wit: paint – not seldom straight from the tube – applied with palette knife or bare hands.

This painting shows jugglers at play. One can distinct some human figures and seperated body parts. Lines drawn intuitively, suggest movement and play. This is exactly what makes the paintings by Jan van Lokhorst so attractive. The energy and playfulness never fade. Other subjects for his paintings are the landscapes of France, the animals of Africa and musicians. 

The first thing you notice in Johan Abeling’s work is the mysteriousness. The atmosphere in his desolate landscapes are almost unreal. The artist is considered a northern realist; a term for realistic painters from the north of The Netherlands. His subject is the northern Dutch landscapes, often with a bare tree, an abandoned villa or just a small part of a run-down fence or border post. He uses reality as inspiration for his own mystic world. His paintings seem to have their own personality and their own story. You can also regard his paintings as resting points in a hectic society. Johan Abeling is a master in the use of sfumato, a technique to create a diffuse and filtered light. By applying several transparent layers he softens the transition between colours and shapes, creating dream-like images.  

Images of the heart; that is how Margot Homan describes her own sculptures. She does not work with models, but draws from her own knowledge of human anatomy to create sculptures with a personality of their own. The does not portray a man or woman, but rather men and women as a concept. This strong ‘woman’ shows confidence and esteem. Who needs wings? This woman is already free. Margot Homan designs her work in her studio in The Netherlands. The casting of the bronze or the sculpting of marble is done in Italy. This way she combines two worlds and their cultural differences to deliver an endless source of inspiration. Her work is refined in a classical manner with historic references and a timeless appeal. 

After a heavy car accident Peter van Oostzanen lost his connection to time and space for a while. He saw the strangest visions. This period is the starting point for his surreal and magical realistic paintings.  He combines casual images with deep emotions and plain fun. The title of this painting translates into “done flying”, but also into “flew out”. It shows two birds unable to fly – they’re dead – and a young woman vulnerable and without the direct protection of her parental home. The feathers of the pigeon symbolise femininity and the spirit of life.

Peter van Oostzanen is both a gifted painter and storyteller. There is always much more to his paintings than what you see at first glance. His techniques are the same as those from many Dutch masters. After the initial painter follow a lot of layers to create depth and liveliness.

After starting his career as an abstract painter, he switched to realism shortly after. He first focussed on nudes. His first realistic paintings were album covers for Dutch band named Flairck, which became internationally well-known. This was in the late 1970’s. He started to incorporate other elements in his work, like music (obviously), theatre, foreign cultures and animals. His many travels became a source of inspiration. He made a series of paintings under the name of “carnaval des animeaux”, using a different animal for every painting. In 2013, one year before his untimely passing – he made this stone lithograph of just about every animal he ever painted. He was a master in the art of lithography using incredible detail and complex colouring. Musiom has the intention and to keep the memory of this remarkable artist alive by exhibiting his work and passing on his life story.

The sculptures by Sjaak Smetsers are like figures from a book of fables. They have personality in a human like fashion. Typically he uses a combination of glass and several metals like copper and bronze. The bird-like heads and the human feet are trademarks. His fascination for birds and nature in general started at an early age when his father often took him bird spotting. It’s easy to like these sympathetic works of art, but there’s always more to them than you might expect. Most of his creatures have two eyes on each side of their heads. This suggest they can show more than just one face, just like u humans. This sculpture has two human hands joined into prayer, or is it a greeting? They can be put away behind doors inside a small compartment inside the glass body. They can reappear on any occasion. Is the gesture genuine? We will never know. What we do know that is puts a smile on the face of many visitors to the museum. 

Theo Koster specialises in landscapes. Early in his career the landscapes were very graphical and full of symbols. Over the years they became more impressionistic and textured. He uses materials and mediums to create effects. His skies are an almost a chemical reaction between paint and other materials, often suggesting heavy weather. The landscapes themselves are full of depth and contain very few elements like trees or houses. Theo Koster finds his inspiration while taking long walks with his dog. The rural Dutch countryside is quite flat and sometimes far from exciting, but the artist’s interpretations are vivid and exciting. This particular painting is a visitor’s favourite and often on display in the museum.

Theo Koster is an internationally oriented artist. He worked in France and later in India and participates in exhibitions all over the world.

Hans van Horck (vanhorck) is one of the initiators of Musiom and permanent artist in residence. He started as an aquarellist doing mostly portraits and nudes. In the course of the 1980’s his work became more abstract and he started working with acrylic paint. He stayed in the United States for an extensive period where the many different landscapes became his primary inspiration. This painting was inspired by Lake Michigan and one of the many he made during his stay. Today the North-American landscapes form an important source of inspiration. Besides abstract landscapes Vanhorck is known for his paintings with symbols from old myths and ancient cultures. 

The studio of the artist can be visited during a visit to Musiom. You will never find him at work, as visitors are a distraction from the creational process, but everybody is welcome to have a look into the artist’s world. He has always been a very productive artist and his work can been found in many private and corporate collections.

Glass vessels, open mould object, jewellery; Willem van Oijen is versatile and highly skilled in the making of glass art. The surface of each of the objects he creates, whether it is blown or cast - a flat panel or a block, is penetrated and reshaped by deep relief sand-carving - wheel cutting - grinding -engraving - etching and polishing. By adding other materials to the object like bronze steel or wood in combination with the glass component he accentuates the transparency and fragility of the glass. An important aspect in his work is that he creates an interaction between opposites in the way the surface of an object is worked, the use of colour, the difference in radiance of the materials used, the concept and design. The use of contrasts creates tension in his work, a tension carefully balanced, consequently resulting in homogeneous but strong objects of art.

The artist received his education from his father, Willem van Oijen sr., who was a renowned glass artist, painter and sculptor in the post war era. You can fairly say that Willem van Oijen jr. was born and raised with glass.