Van Abbemuseum Vitrine: selected by Rob Scheepers - At Van der Valk Hotel Eindhoven

The more than 3,000 contemporary artworks in the Van Abbemuseum constitute the collection of the city of Eindhoven. These are works of art which deserve to be seen and sometimes pop up in unexpected places. Part of the museum’s collection is on display at the Van der Valk Hotel Eindhoven, designed and created by Piet Hein Eek. This display in a glass cart has a central place in the hotel lobby. The works exhibited are changed regularly and prominent figures from Eindhoven and the surrounding area are able to choose works from the museum’s collection. The exhibited works, that were selected by the sixth guest curator, Rob Scheepers, will be on display from Thursday 6 February.

When Rob Scheepers visited the Van Abbemuseum, he selected five art works from the collection to be displayed together in a special display cabinet. He selected these particular art works because they reminded him of his experiences on stage: partly because they reflect his relationship with his audience but also because he sees metaphors in them about today’s changing society, a theme in his most recent theatre programme.  He comments as follows about the United Enemies, an art work by Thomas Schütte: "Obviously, your audience is not your enemy but you are stuck with each other in the theatre." And about the art work by Juan Muñoz: "It looks like a rocking figure, glued to the stage - as it were."  Another of Rob Scheeper’s chosen art works is Rest Energy, a video by Ulay and Abramovic, about keeping each other in balance, something that Rob says you need to be able to really achieve.  His favourite art work of the five selected is Steengoed by Har Sanders. It fascinates him aesthetically - "A bricked up wall is never going to be an attractive solution" - but also appeals to him as a metaphor of what is happening in society today. "It’s difficult to know how much you are allowed to say, do and have an opinion. We’re no longer able to look outside and, outside, we’re no longer allowed to look in; we are far less open to others now." In the video interview produced to accompany this project, Scheepers says: "I hope ... that people who see these art works will realize that I’m trying to establish a relationship with my audience when I’m on the stage". He would like them to take the time to listen to other people’s thoughts and ideas. As he says: "life is all about collecting stories."