Themes

Like the rest of the world, the Van Abbemuseum is in a period of transition. Geopolitical relationships are shifting, and societal dynamics are constantly in motion. How do we, as the Van Abbemuseum, navigate these changes? What is our role in society? Where do we want to go and how do we get there?

We want to be a decolonial and a demodern museum. The terms 'decolonial' and 'demodern' might seem odd for a modern museum. But decolonising and demodernising make the news every week. These concepts oppose colonial practices of exclusion and exploitation of both people and the natural environment. As such, they touch on the big questions of our time around diversity, climate change, and identity. The questions we, as a museum, are engaging with.

How can we be demodern as a museum? First of all, by considering artworks within their context rather than as isolated pieces. An artwork always exists in a field of relationships and references. That is the context in which the work was made. You can think of it as a dynamic map on which connections are drawn between various points. Those points can be works of art, but also books, archival pieces, or other materials. The map shows how a particular theme has evolved over the years.

To ensure that we as a museum are more responsive to these various fields of reference, we have established four areas of research: Inclusion & Multivocality, Demodernising & Decolonising, Collectivity & Solidarity, and Ecology.

Each field of reference centres on certain questions relevant to society. Today's important issues are different from those that were significant in the past. For example, cubism as an artistic movement addressed the fragmentation of society by technology and science. Today, we pay attention to topics such as identity, the enduring impact of colonialism and to colonialism that is still ongoing.