Events — May 19, 2019

Artist Inge Meijer spent two years doing research on the vanished – and forgotten – plant life in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam in order to make a new work. She compiled the results of her research in an artist’s book, ‘The Plant Collection’, which will be presented on Sunday 19 May 2019 in the Stedelijk.
Price
Free of charge
Location
Studio A
Time
May 19, 2019, 4 pm until 6 pm
Admission
To attend this book presentation please send an email to: marjolein@akinci.nl.

 From 1945 to 1983, plants stood next to the works of Mark Rothko, Piet Mondrian, Christo and many others. During the 38 years that plants were part of the museum’s policy, you could certainly speak of a ‘collection’. The plant collection included 39 different species. After every exhibition, the plants would be taken away and moved to a new spot. Plants were donated to the museum and a specific person was employed to take care of the collection.

The major part of Inge Meijer’s research was based on documents and photographs of exhibitions found in various archives. In addition to this, she interviewed (former) employees of the Stedelijk Museum in order to get an idea of why plants were originally brought in and how they were used.

The book contains 272 photographs of exhibitions (253 in the Stedelijk and 19 in Museum Fodor) an foreword by Caroline Roodenburg and an interview by Maria Barnas. Together with graphic designer Roger Willems and publisher Roma Publications, Inge Meijer compiled the results of her research in an artist’s book, The Plant Collection, which will be presented on Sunday 19 May 2019 in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.

Program

4 pm
Word of welcome by Michiel Nijhoff, Librarian of Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
4.10 pm
Poems of Gertrude Stein recited by Marjolein van der Meer and accompanied by contrabassist K. Ellington Mingus
4.20 pm
Discussion between biologist and writer Tijs Goldschmidt and Inge Meijer
4.45 - 6 pm
Opportunity to have a drink in the library and the possibility of seeing Inge Meijer’s 6x6 slide installation, Still Life (2017), in studio B

Special edition Stedelijk Sansevieria

In 2013, the last plant vanished from the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. For reasons of humidity, safety and hygiene, this Sansevieria was no longer allowed to remain in the department. Since then, it has been in the home of a former employee. In conjunction with the special book edition, Meijer cultivated 25 cuttings from this plant in order to propagate the museum’s only remaining plant. The cutting, together with a photograph, certificate and specially designed archive box, is for sale at AKINCI, edition of 25.