News — Sep 24, 2020

Dr. Charl Landvreugd (1971) joins the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam as Head of Research & Curatorial Practice on October the 1st.

He will guide research programmes museum-wide and catalyse the Stedelijk’s aim of broadening its programme and collection and enhancing its accessibility. Landvreugd will draw on his background as an artist and researcher with a special focus on Curatorial Practice to reflect on presentations and the new direction of the Stedelijk.

Landvreugd, who was born in Paramaribo, Suriname, and grew up in Rotterdam, is an artist, researcher and exhibition maker. He uses the results of his research to think about migration history, culture and power relations and ways of expressing cultural citizenship and belonging within the world of the visual arts.

As an artist, Landvreugd’s oeuvre largely comprises installation, sculpture and video. He is the recipient of various fellowships and bursaries for his research and visual practice, and has exhibited his work in the Netherlands and internationally. For his PhD dissertation at the Royal College of Art in London he investigated strategies that ask whether art created by artists with an immigrant background can be recognised as an original part of Dutch visual culture. Landvreugd holds a BA in Fine Art/History of Art (joint honours) from Goldsmiths University, London and an MA in Modern Art: Critical and Curatorial Studies from Columbia University, New York.

Photo: Ari Versluis
Photo: Ari Versluis

Landvreugd’s writings have been widely published in journals such as Small Axe, ARC Magazine and Open Arts Journal. He is also an educator, lecturer, and participant in debates. He is a member of the Supervisory Board of the Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst and the board of the Akademie van Kunsten (Dutch Society of the Arts) (and also a member). He is also the Pathway Leader of the MA Visual Arts & Post Contemporary Practices at the St. Joost School for Art & Design in Den Bosch. Recent posts include: advisor to the Raad voor Cultuur (Dutch Council for Culture), the Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst and CBK Zuidoost.

Director Rein Wolfs: “I am delighted with the appointment of Charl Landvreugd. Charl will bring his unique experience to bear on research projects, not only approaching them from an art historical or academic perspective but also from the perspective of an artist and exhibition maker. Which is invaluable. I’m looking forward to working with Charl to refresh our research programme with new themes that support the Stedelijk’s aim of broadening its engagement.”

Charl Landvreugd: “Aided by my artistic practice and my curatorial practice, my artistic research reflects the directors’ ambitions to make the museum a space that is more context-orientated, open to a plurality of voices and in dialogue with society. With this I hope to contribute to broadening the perspective on art, programming and collection-building. I’m excited at the prospect of working with the Stedelijk team to help develop this strategy.”