The exhibition ‘Enschede. Sanctuary for Experimentation‘ is a tribute to 700 years of city history, a place that is inextricably linked to art.
Enschede exudes creativity: from artists to idiosyncratic creative initiatives. Enschede has proven to be a sanctuary for experimentation, with room for new art forms and artist initiatives. How did such fertile ground for art come about here? Is it due to the city’s DNA, its location outside the Randstad, or is it perhaps a unique combination of circumstances? And what role did the Rijksmuseum Twenthe and the Academy of Art and Industry (AKI) play in this development?
The AKI would grow into a distinctive and progressive academy, where artists and designers with courage and imagination explored the boundaries of art. Together, these developments created a climate in which art could flourish. Twente developed into a region where modern art was not only embraced but also acquired its own signature: free-spirited and open to experimentation.
Based on works from the Rijksmuseum Twenthe collection, the exhibition (created by René Put & Brigit Gootink) traces the artistic development from the Second World War to the present day. Various works of art tell the story of Enschede as a city of art, in the light of historical events.
The exhibition features work by Ben Akkerman, Marlies Appel, Klaas Bernink, Wim te Broek, Jan Broeze, Harry Brusche, Jan Cremer, De Enschedse School, Sandra Derks, Marlene Dumas, Jan Dietvorst, Hans Ebeling Koning, Ernie & Bidet, Alphons Freijmuth, Rose-Marie Gerritsen, Joris Geurts, Kees de Goede, Kees de Groot, Folkert Haanstra Jr., Folkert Haanstra Sr., Johan Haanstra, Riemko Holtrop, Pieter Holstein, Sipke Huismans, Wim Izaks, Arno Kramer, Reinier Lucassen, Kees Maas, Karel Meijers, Frans Oosterhof, Jan van de Pavert, Pearl Perlmutter, Uwe Poth, Inge Reisberman, Ria Rettich, Jan Roeland, Paul Silder, Roland Sips, Bill Spinhoven, Rik Timmers, Paul Tornado, Klaus Versteegen, Johan Visser, Geert Voskamp, Dingenus van de Vrie, Eef de Weerd, Geert de Wilde, Willem Wisselink, Theo Wolvecamp, Ans Wortel.
This exhibition runs until March 8, 2026.
