For people who might not have heard and there are probably a few that have not, I will briefly summarise everything: for some while now, I am – according to my contract with the Eindhovens Dagblad – a freelance journalist, at least that’s how they treat me. Together with a number of other devotees press-ganged into the journalist trade, I am allowed to contribute to the newspaper’s culture section. In my next column, I shall try to explain why on earth I said ‘yes’ when I was requested to become the ambassador for the Dutch Design Week – the sublime three-master that tows the captain along in a jolly boat on the open sea.
In the period between my first and second columns for the Eindhovens Dagblad, I was invited to be the guest editor for the 12th edition of NRC’s Weekend Magazine “De LUXE”, for which they manage to create the ultimate editorial freedom through sponsoring. This is more or less a licence for guest editors to do anything they like. The main feature of the magazine was an article about trees. You know those things that only go in for the long term and are anything but luxurious or fashionable, but that’s precisely why they are such a good contrast to everything we design and create.
One of the pieces in the NRC is about the work of Anthon Beeke, whose special exhibition in our gallery to celebrate the publication of his new book ‘Anthon Beeke – It’s a miracle’ will open on 30 June. This means that next week will be the last chance to come and see the Bert Teunissen and Linda Nieuwstad exhibitions. Alongside Anthon Beeke’s designs, the works of 11 of his former students will also be on display. The entire exhibition is being curated by Lidewij Edelkoort, who is currently working on the Fashion Biennale in Arnhem as well.
I have plenty to do too – I am going to Art Basel because Ruinart will be pouring the champagne there and I am to be interviewed by the press because of our previously described collaboration. We have designed a waste-waste 40×40 interview set especially for the event. Waste-waste 40×40 is a new project in which we make the most elaborate objects using blocks of waste measuring 40 x 40 mm. Incidentally, I have had to walk my legs off going to all the art exhibitions for the advertising campaign. Thankfully, Ruinart has associated himself with art instead of, for example, cars.
In the meantime, I am also preparing for what will be a major event for me; I have been asked to be a ‘sharp mind’ in a series of lectures accompanied by suitable adventurous music. Anyone who knows me will also know that I love classical music and would really have liked to be a singer performing to sell-out crowds in all the famous concert halls around the world. Although it is in a different role to what I originally thought, ‘opening’ for Henk Neven in the Concertgebouw building in Amsterdam and the Muziekgebouw building in Eindhoven is a dream come true. Anyway, how many people can say: ‘I’ve played the Concertgebouw and the Muziekgebouw’?
Please find out more about the exhibitions by Bert Teunissen, Linda Nieuwstad and Anthon Beeke.
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