JAN VAN MUNSTER
Born in 1939.
Lives and works in Vlissingen (Netherlands).
Jan Van Munster is one of the most important Dutch artists of the 21st century. His work lies at the crossroads of fundamental movements in art history: minimalism, arte povera and conceptual art. On the one hand, the aesthetics of his works are striking for the purity of the forms he uses and the limited palette of colours. On the other, they formalise physical and chemical phenomena that are often invisible (heat, cold, magnetism and movement) in a highly sensitive and/or poetic way, evoking notions such as finitude, duality, energy and the intangible.
Artwork above: Study for a Perfect Snowball, 1992. 120 x 200 x 70 cm
THE FULLNESS OF ENERGY
He seems both present and absent. He's there without really being there. He eats, he drinks, he says a few words now and then. He doesn't always feel comfortable in company, he says, especially when it comes to answering questions about his work. Jan van Munster's style, expressed in his cylindrical residential villa designed on an island at the foot of a water tower between Oost-Souburg and Vlissingen, is like the artist himself: reasoned, concentrated, shaped with extreme precision, no frills, minimalist in black and white.
Beyond this island, behind a noise barrier, the fresh waters of the Westerschelde mingle with the salty waters of the North Sea, the din of the port of Vlissingen resounds and the freeway that crosses Zeeland to the Randstad and beyond begins. When you're on the island of the water tower, everything is close by and yet seems so far away.
It's not the first time I've visited visual artist Jan van Munster. It was on this island, dubbed "IK-eiland" (literally the island of "ME"), that Van Munster built a veritable paradise devoted to art between 2004 and 2012. In addition to the cylindrical villa, a square water tower stands on the island. It was built in brick in 1939, the year Van Munster was born. Following extensive renovation work, this austere 35-meter-high tower now has six floors and an elevator. This is where Van Munster works, creates, reads, soaks up the wisdom around him and experiments with the presentation of his works. Small or huge (like the old reservoir), hot or freezing cold (as in the cellar): in these monumental spaces, anything is possible. [...]
Lucette ter Borg, art critic, curator, novelist
Read the full text here.
Artwork above: Jan van Munster in his studio © Michel Vermet
CV
Né en 1939.
Vit et travaille à Oost-Souburg (Pays-Bas).
EXPOSITIONS PERSONNELLES (sélection) / SOLO SHOWS (selection)
2021
Headlines, Hopstreet Gallery, Brussels/Deurle, Belgium
2020
Réflexions, Galerie Bacqueville, Lille, France
2019
Into the Light, Kunstverein Friedberg, with Julius Stahl, Germany
In Motion , Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands
Hardcore, Slewe Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2018
EN | EN, Van den Berge Gallery, Goes, Netherlands
Between Dark and Light, Renate Bender Gallery, with Inge Dick, Munich, Germany
A Choice From the Studio, Galerie Ramakers, the Hague, Netherlands
Substance, dr. julius | ap, with Susan York, Berlin, Germany
2017
Short Circuit Between Line and Light, Ardex, Witten, Germany
2016
Transducer, dr. julius | ap, Berlin, with Julius Stahl, Germany
Key Works 1968 - 2016, Samuel Vanhoegaerden Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
2015
Hoffmann Gallery, In Between, Friedberg, Germany
2014
Centre for International Light Art, Unna, Germany
Kortsluiting [Short Circuit], Ramakers Gallery, The Hague, Netherlands
2013
Zwischen Plus und Minus, Galerie Van der Koelen, Mainz, Germany
40 jaar Lichtwerken,1973-heden, Galerie Van den Berge, Goes, Netherlands
2012
Door tijd en ruimte [Through Time and Space], Ketelfactory, Schiedam (with Birthe Leemeijer), Netherlands
2009
Leucht Zeichen, Kunstmuseum Celle, Celle, Germany
“Brainwaves” Galerie Art Affairs in New York, USA
2006
Die Energie des Bildhauers [The Energy of the Sculptor], La Galleria
Dorothea van der Koelen, Venice, Italy
2005
Quint Contemporary Arts, La Jolla, USA
2004
Wilhelm Hack Museum, Ludwigshafen, Germany
2003
Museum für Konkrete Kunst, Ingolstadt, Germany
2002
Stedelijk Museum Roermond, Netherlands
Wilhelmina-ring III, Rijksmuseum Twenthe, Enschede, Netherlands
2001
MUHKA, Antwerp, Belgium
2000
Atelier / Muzeum 340, Brussels, Belgium
Centre for International Light Art, Unna, Germany
1998
E-Werk, Hallen für Kunst, Freiburg, Germany
Recent Museum of Contemporary Art, Sapporo, Japan
1993
Haus für konstruktive und konkrete Kunst, Zurich, Switzerland
Provincial Museum Hasselt, Belgium
1988
Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo/Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Museum für konkrete Kunst, Ingolstadt, Germany
1987
Wilhelm-Hack-Museum, Ludwigshafen, Germany
1972
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam, Netherlands
1970
Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven, Netherlands
1969
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
EXPOSITIONS COLLECTIVES (sélection) / GROUP SHOWS (selection)
2022
Light, Galerie Lange + Pult, Zurich, Switzerland
2021
Espace libéré, Centre d’art contemporain d’intérêt national, Mouans, France
2020
Neon Delight, Centre for International Light Art, Unna, Germany
Lucht, Museum Kranenburgh, Bergen, Netherlands
2019
Bauhaus and beyond, Galerie Ramakers, The Hague, Netherlands
Century Bauhaus, dr. julius | ap, Berlin, Germany
Immatérialité, Topographie de l'art, Paris, France
2018
Let There Be Light, Sofie Van De Velde Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
Verlicht Mij, Museum Ijsselstein, Netherlands
Über das Geistige in der Kunst, Museum für Konkrete Kunst, Ingolstadt, Germany
2017
FarbeLicht LichtFarbe, Neuer Kunstverein Aschaffenburg, Germany
2016
Prière De Toucher - The Touch of Art, Museum Tinguely, Basel, Switzerland
Snapshot of a Lager Order, de ketelfactory, Noletloodsen Schiedam, Netherlands
LICHT | LIGHT | LUMIÈRE, C. Grimaldis Gallery, Baltimore, USA
Konstruktion | Construction, Sammlung Schroth, Soest, Germany
2015
Lekker licht, Centraal Museum Utrecht, Netherlands
Clouds, Mons, Eurepean Capitale of Culture, Belgium
2013
LUMINEUX! DYNAMIC! Space and Vision in Art from today back to1913, Grand Palais Paris, Paris, France
Ik hou van Holland, Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, Netherlands
2012
Who’s afraid of red, yellow and blue? Maison Rouge, Foundation Antoine de Galbert, Paris, France
2010
Thrice upon a time, Magasin 3, Konsthall, Stockholm, Sweden
Beeld Hal Werk, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2009
ContourLight, Mechelen, Belgium
2005
Lichtkunst Aus Kunstlicht, Museum für Neue Kunst, Karlsruhe, Germany
1991
UNTER NULL, Zentrum Industriekultur Nürnberg, Germany / Münchener Stadtmuseum, Munich, Germany
1990
NOLI ME TANGERE, Musée Cantonal des Beaux Arts, Sion, Switzerland
1983
ELECTRA, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville Paris, France
1973
8e Biennale de Paris, Manifestation Internationale des Jeunes Artistes, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France
1969
10e Biennale voor beeldhouwkunst, Middelheim, Antwerpen, Belgium
Nederlandse Beeldhouwkunst ’64-’69, Centraal Museum, Utrecht, Netherlands
1968
Junge Kunst aus Holland, Kunsthalle Bern, Bern, Switzerland
1967
Science Fiction, Kunsthalle, Bern, Switzerland
1966
3e Exposition Internationale de Sculpture Contemporaine, Musée Rodin, Paris, France
5e Internationale beeldententoonstelling Sonsbeek ’66, Arnhem, Netherlands
1965
4e Biennale de Paris, Manifestation Biennale et Internationale des Jeunes Artistes, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France
FORMATION
1957-1960
Instituut voor Kunstnijverheidsonderwijs, Amsterdam, Netherlands
1955-1957
Academie van Beeldende Kunsten, Rotterdam, Netherlands
PRIX / AWARDS
2020
German Light Art Award, German œuvre prize for light art
2011
Dutch Masters in the 21st Century); film, 15 minutes, Mediafonds and Fonds BKVB (also published as a dvd)
2003
Wilhelmina-ring, Dutch œuvre prize for sculpture
1971
Chabot Award, Anjerfonds, Rotterdam, Netherlands
1969
Award for objects, Salon van de Maassteden, Schiedam, Netherlands
1966
A. Schwarz award, with Berend Bodenkamp (1942)
ENSEIGNEMENT / TEACHING
1978-1988
Akademie voor Kunst en Vormgeving, 's Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
1973
Academie van Beeldende Kunsten, Rotterdam, Netherlands
1970-1973
Ateliers '63, Haarlem, Netherlands
COMMISSIONS (selection)
2018
Brainwave Museum Wilhelm Morgner / Sammlung Schroth, Soest, Germany
2016
Brainwave (Ratio), de ketelfactory, Nolet-loods, Schiedam, Netherlands
2015
Brainwave, Château Le Rœulx, Le Rœulx, Belgium
2012
Energiekreis [Energy Circle], Museum Haus Beda, Bitburg, Germany
2010
Brainwave, Dutch embassy, Brussels, Belgium
2009
Energiecirkel [Energy Circle], Mechelen, Belgium
2008
Brainwave, ZfW-Bank, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2006
Brainwave, Council Office, Vught, Netherlands
2006
Donau-Brücken-Projekt, Ingolstadt, Germany
2005
Brainwave, Gorinchem, Netherlands
2003
IK for Utrecht, Park Nieuweroord, Utrecht, Netherlands
IK, Sculpture Wilhelminaring, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
2002
Energie-ring, Provincial Government Building Gelderland, Arnhem, Netherlands
Brainwave, Sparkasse, Ludwigshafen, Germany
PUBLICATIONS (sélection)
2013
IK island - 99publishers, ISBN 978 – 90 – 78670 – 32 - 2
2012
Light | Licht - Jap Sam Books, ISBN 978-94-90322-25-0
2001
The Energy of the Sculptor - Chorus Verlag, ISBN 3-931876-32-2