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STATES OF AR T
Modern art 2.0 TEXT: MATT ANTONIAK
Set amongst the impressive halls of Eindhoven’s Van Abbemuseum, some curators have set themselves a difficult task: to rethink how we look at modern art. Over the past 150 years, modern art has been influenced by influential collectors and exhibitions within the Western world. Galleries and museums have built up huge collections of artwork that has determined the canon of modern art and public perception. The Van Abbemuseum, as one of the first museums for contemporary art in Europe, has had a part to play in this. We are now a globalised society; a technologyled interconnected society. The days of the ‘traditional’ museum are under threat. We do not
need museums to act as the exclusive opinion makers any more, but to respond and react to the contemporary world. This is the task that the Van Abbemuseum have set themselves. Using the whole ground floor of the museum, The Making of Modern Art is an adaptive exhibition that will alter and change over the course of its run until 2021. Rather than shy away from its past, the Van Abbemuseum will examine its own collections, and the murky colonial history that is tied up within it. Throughout eight rooms, the viewer will be presented with the history of modern art including works by Mondrian, Picasso and Kandinsky amongst a plethora of others, and also be provided with a series of radical and experimental designs for the museum’s future.
Installation view The Making of Modern Art. Photo Peter Cox. Van Abbemuseum 2017
The Making of Modern Art is on view at the Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven until January 2021. Matt Antoniak is a visual artist and writer living and working in Newcastle, UK. He works mainly in painting and drawing and is a founding member of the art collective M I L K.
BEER OF THE MONTH
Texels Bock TEXT AND PHOTO: STUART FORSTER
The Texels Brewery is based on Texel, the largest of the Netherlands’ West Frisian islands. The brewery’s labelling depicts a lighthouse and seabirds, hinting at its coastal provenance. The brewery opened 19 years ago at the site of a former dairy. The premises stand close to the boundaries of the Hoge Berg (meaning ‘high mountain’) nature reserve, where the highest point of land rises to an altitude of 15 metres above sea level. The brewers make use of water from the island’s dunes during the brewing process, something you can learn more about during a brewery visit that includes a tasting flight of beers. Bock beer, traditionally, is an autumn drink but its rich flavour slips down well after walks on lengthening spring days. Similar beers, packed with calories, were traditionally supped by
monks during their Lent fast. To maintain energy levels, of course. Texels’ brewers trained in Munich, which hosts a Starkbierfest (meaning ‘strong beer festival’) during Lent. This particular bock beer is unfiltered, meaning that bottles contain the sediment of a yeast strain only found on Texel. The colour of the brew is dark brown. Its aroma is malty, with a hint of chocolate. The flavour has hints of chocolate, caramel and fruits of the forest. The finish is reminiscent of coffee’s roast. Texels Bock is a beer that pairs well with red meats. If you are feeling adventurous, serve it with a freshly baked malty bread and some of the sheep’s cheese for which the island of Texel is renowned. Brewer: Texelse Bierbrouwerij Strength: 7.0 per cent
Stuart Forster was twice named Journalist of the Year at the 2015 and 2016 Holland Press Awards. Five generations of his family have been actively involved in the brewing industry.
Issue 52 | April 2018 | 97