INTERVIEW Talk with Dr. Leo Delfgaauw Dr. L.H.M.P. (Leo) Delfgaauw is a lecturer at
Therefore, I decided to pursue art history, which
the University of Groningen with expertise in
was a combination of archaeology and art. After
modern and contemporary art, whose courses
the first half of my studies, I decided to switch
are certainly special for every student. In this
to contemporary art as I found it more
interview he talks about his career and outlook
appealing.
on the arts.
How do you think growing up during the "pop revolution" influenced your approach to art?
Why did you choose to pursue a career in arts? Why did you choose the field of contemporary art?
Yeah, that's a great question. I think about it
When I was a child, I had the opportunity to
myself. You know, I was probably too young
visit museums occasionally as I lived in
during the 60s. I lived in Amsterdam and was
Amsterdam where there were plenty of
the youngest in my family. There were a lot of
museums. Initially, I didn't know much about it
things going on during that time, such as the
but I found it intriguing and enjoyed being
hippie movement, pop music, and everything
there. I also noticed that some of my parent's
that was forbidden, which made it especially
friends and people I met while visiting were
exciting. I was fascinated and influenced by the
surprised and intrigued by what they saw, which
events that happened around us. In that sense, I
sparked my interest further. When I was in high school,
I
thought
about
becoming
am definitely influenced by the 60s and the pop
an
revolution.
archaeologist because I found the idea of
Of
course,
music
played
a
significant role in this as well. As a kid growing
discovering things and finding treasures very
up, I enjoyed popular music and later on, I
romantic. However, I soon realised that my
attended concerts of different genres. I
interest lay more in modern and contemporary
remember when I was very young, we lived on
art, which I found more interesting and offered
one of the canals, where the Beatles stayed for
new opportunities to meet and talk to people.
a while during their visit to Amsterdam. I saw 18
