From 5 June 2021 until 9 January 2022 international celebrated silversmith Jan van Nouhuys will be exhibiting his work in The Dutch Silver Museum in Schoonhoven. It’s the largest exhibition of his work so far, showing his tremendous skill in silversmithing and vision of silver as a form of Art. That vision had made him a game-changer in the view on contemporary silver in the Netherlands.
Ground Hope: En route to a “sunny world”
The exhibition ‘Ground Hope’ takes the visitor on a path towards light on the horizon. The pandemic, an economic recession and other unexpected changes have, of course, impacted our lives. But according to Jan van Nouhuys a crisis reveals also an opportunity. It is a period in which new ideas and initiatives pop up – and in which new bonds can be made. In that sense there is reason for hope. When people get on the move with positive ideas and initiatives this leads to being connected in new ways, and to change. Light breaks through in our thinking and acting.
The visitor experiences in this exhibition the journey to a sunnier world, accompanied by inspiring and humoristic silver objects like Goede morgen overkant (Good morning there across the street) and Au Claire de la Lune. Jan also made work in commission for the Ministery of international affairs. Like the famous bell, that was given to all the European Ministers of international affairs when the agreement of Maastricht was sealed about the introduction of the Euro. Now on display at the museum!
As part of the exhibition attention will be paid to the international masterclasses Jan has given, and a number of objects designed and made by the participants are shown.
About Jan van Nouhuys
In 1991 Jan van Nouhuys started ‘Silver in Motion’ to spark new life into the craft of silversmithing. He committed himself to create a platform for silver as an art form and coached silversmiths in his master classes to thoroughly think through their concepts and then make them. With great interest he observes how the craft evolves and he hopes that new people will get inspired and that the reputation of silver as an art form can take root in society even more firmly.
The exhibition is the moment for the launch of the book in Dutch and English ‘Jan van Nouhuys Zilverkunst/Silver Art’ – grondlegger van de Nederlandse hedendaagse zilverkunst/ founder of Dutch contemporary Silver Art, about the life and work of Jan van Nouhuys, published by Pictures Publishers Woudrichem, also for sale in the Zilvermuseum. Dirk Jan Biemond, curator of Metalwork at Rijksmuseum Amsterdam has written the prologue.
Well known museums like Victoria & Albert in London have objects made by Jan van Nouhuys in their collection.