Discover Benelux  |  The Hague  |  The Ultimate Spring & Summer Destination

Scheveningen. Photo: Jurjen Drenth

Lange Voorhout. Photo: Piet Gispen

Photo: Maurice Haak & Jenny Audring, Text und Bild

century district) and Statenkwartier (full of monumental villas), making the city one big maze of interesting architecture and places to discover. Had enough of the city crowds? The nearby beaches of Kijkduin and Scheveningen provide the ideal backdrop for a relaxing beach walk.

100 De Stijl, Van Mondriaan tot Dutch Design The Hague has long enjoyed a reputation of being a cultural treasure trove, offering a wealth of impressive art. In 2017, it will be exactly 100 years ago that the famous art movement De Stijl was founded by artist and architect Theo van Doesburg, counting legendary artists such as Piet Mondriaan, Gerrit Rietveld (after which the renowned academy of fine arts and design in Amsterdam is named) and Bart van der Leck as its representatives. With a great deal of abstraction and the use of 12  |  Issue 41  |  May 2017

just a few primary colours, the movement brought an artistic revolution and radically put an end to the romantic artistic approach at that time. To honour the movement’s anniversary, the whole city of The Hague will be involved in countless activities revolving around the influential art movement and its most precious son. “Besides being a city by the sea, The Hague is also the city of Piet Mondriaan,” explains Wendy Yu-Tjemmes from Den Haag Marketing. “The Hague is traditionally known to be a breeding ground for innovative design and art. De Stijl is such an important part of the city’s character. Its signature is to be found not only in artworks at museums, but also in architecture and spatial planning.” The Gemeentemuseum, which boasts the largest De Stijl and Mondrian collection in the world, is one of the ma-

Hotel New Babylon. Photo: Maurice Haak & Jenny Audring, Text und Bild

jor highlights during the year-long celebration. For the anniversary, the museum is presenting three exclusive exhibitions about the movement. From 3 June until 24 September, visitors have the once-ina-lifetime opportunity to explore the life and work of Mondriaan through a display of an astounding 300 of his works. Still on until 21 May is the exhibition about Mondriaan and Bart van der Leck and, from 10 June, the exhibition Architecture and Interiors. The desire for Style will focus on the movement’s significant influence on design and architecture. “De Stijl greatly determined the look and feel of The Hague,” Yu-Tjemmes continues. “Its members shaped modernisation through the greatest possible simplicity and abstraction.” From 19 to 28 May, Festival Designkwartier organises an exhibition about De Stijl at gallery Quartair: