Art & Project
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Contemporary art gallery, Art magazine publishing |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Geert van Beijeren, Adriaan van Ravesteijn |
| Defunct | 2001 |
| Headquarters | Amsterdam, Slootdorp , Netherlands |
| Products | Contemporary art exhibitions, Art & Project Bulletin magazine |
Art & Project stood as a prominent contemporary art gallery established in 1968 by Geert van Beijeren and Adriaan van Ravesteijn, with locations in Amsterdam and Slootdorp, the Netherlands, remaining active until 2001. Alongside its gallery activities, it produced a significant art magazine from 1968 through 1989.
Foundation and Early Period (1968)
The Amsterdam-based gallery Art & Project commenced operations in September 1968 within the family residence of Van Ravesteijn on Richard Wagnerstraat, located in Amsterdam-Zuid. Its debut exhibition showcased works by German artist Charlotte Posenenske, soon followed by presentations from Dutch architects and designers Jan Slothouber and William Pars Graatsma. These initial exhibitions attracted notice through the distribution of the first two editions of the Art & Project Bulletin, circulated extensively across the country. Early programming also featured Gruppe X, Paul Schuitema, and Aldo van den Nieuwelaar, with a strong emphasis on architectural inquiry.
The gallery was initially accessible only during evenings and weekends but later extended its opening hours. Notably, it did not issue invitations nor host vernissages. The launch of the first Art & Project Bulletin in 1968 was instrumental in building an artistic network that facilitated "exhibitions by mail." During its formative years, the gallery typically presented around six exhibitions annually.
Starting in May 1969, the gallery pivoted towards conceptual art, showcasing artists such as Stanley Brouwn, Daniel Buren, Jan Dibbets, Gilbert & George, Douglas Huebler, Sol LeWitt, and Lawrence Weiner. In March 1970, Gilbert & George reenacted their iconic Posing on Stairs performance as living statues at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, following their earlier exhibition at Art & Project.
Photo Gallery
Illustrations of artworks by artists exhibited at Art & Project during its early phase in the Netherlands.
Move to Van Breestraat 18, Amsterdam and Expansion to Antwerp
In 1971, the gallery transferred to Van Breestraat 18, situated near the Stedelijk Museum and opposite Riekje Swart’s internationally oriented gallery. By 1973, it relocated again to Willemsparkweg 36, where it remained for six years.
That same year marked the gallery’s expansion into Antwerp through collaboration with Brussels’ MTL (headed by Fernand Spillemaeckers), forming Art & Project / MTL. This venture hosted eleven solo exhibitions until 1974. Van Beijeren and Van Ravesteijn maintained close relationships with various galleries worldwide, including Konrad Fischer (Düsseldorf), Yvonne Lambert (Paris), Sperone (Turin), Jack Wendler (London), and Claire Copley (Los Angeles).
Prinsengracht 785 Location
Between 1979 and 1989, Art & Project operated from Prinsengracht 785 before moving to Slootdorp, a secluded village in northern Netherlands. The gallery ultimately ceased operations in December 2001. Shortly thereafter, co-founder Geert van Beijeren passed away.
Represented Artists
For more than thirty years, Art & Project played a vital role within the Dutch contemporary art scene. It supported an international group of artists primarily associated with Minimal Art, Conceptual Art, and Land Art movements.
Artists featured through the gallery and its bulletin included notable figures such as Barry Flanagan, Douglas Huebler, Lawrence Weiner, Sol LeWitt, Robert Barry, Carl Andre, Alan Charlton (artist), Joseph Kosuth, Richard Long, Andrew Lord, Stanley Brouwn, David Tremlett, Gilbert & George, Alighiero Boetti, Francesco Clemente, Allen Ruppersberg, Marcel Broodthaers, John Baldessari, Hamish Fulton, Jan Dibbets, Ian Wilson, Bas Jan Ader, Han Schuil, and Daniel Buren.
Among its distinguished clientele were leading Dutch and Belgian collectors such as Edy de Wilde (director of Stedelijk Museum from 1963 to 1985), Benno Premsela, Martin and Mia Visser, Frits and Agnes Becht, Herman and Nicole Daled, along with Anton and Annick Herbert.
The art magazine
From September 1968 through November 1989, Geert van Beijeren and Adriaan van Ravesteijn released a total of 156 issues of the notable art magazine Art & Project. Originally serving as exhibition announcements for the Art & Project gallery, these bulletins gradually transformed into art pieces in their own right.
Although designed as a monthly periodical, the publication frequency fluctuated—issuing 17 editions in 1972 and only 8 in 1973—with a suspension occurring between June 1983 and December 1984. Produced by Delta in The Hague, each edition generally comprised 800 copies printed in A3 size, folded to create four A4 pages, predominantly using black ink on white paper. Occasionally, the format was altered considerably to better represent the artistic vision of featured creators.
Distribution primarily targeted approximately 400 recipients including artists, galleries, and curators, while surplus copies were sold at the Amsterdam gallery. Certain issues were printed and disseminated internationally to coincide with exhibitions held in cities such as Düsseldorf, Tokyo, and Venice.
Lasting influence
Together with institutions like the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and Gallery Riekje Swart, Art & Project played a crucial role in revitalizing contemporary art within the Netherlands and across Europe from the late 1960s until its closure in 2001. The gallery significantly contributed to establishing Amsterdam as a prominent hub for dynamic artistic activity during this era.
Its enduring impact has been honored through exhibitions at prestigious venues including Geneva’s Musee d'art moderne et contemporain (2003/04) and New York’s Museum of Modern Art (2009), which featured works gifted by Van Beijeren and Van Ravesteijn. A symposium held in Brussels in 2010 further underscored its influence alongside other galleries such as MTL.
Over more than thirty years, Van Beijeren and Van Ravesteijn assembled an important art collection now preserved within Dutch museums and MoMA. Original Art & Project bulletins have become sought-after collectibles. Their extensive gallery and personal archives—measuring 92 meters—were entrusted to the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed (RCE), making them accessible to the public starting in 2014.
Bibliography
- Anne Rorimer, New Art in the 60s and 70s: Redefining Reality, Thames & Hudson, 2001 (reprint 2004)
- Christophe Cherix, 'Greetings from Amsterdam'. In: Christophe Cherix (ed.), In & Out of Amsterdam: Travels in Conceptual Art, 1960-1976, 2009, pp. 13-22 (partial online text)
- Rini Dippel, 'Art & Project: The Early Years'. In: Christophe Cherix (ed.), In & Out of Amsterdam: Travels in Conceptual Art, 1960-1976, 2009, pp. 23-34 (partial online text)
- Lucy Lippard, Six Years: The Dematerialization of the Art Object from 1966 to 1972, 1973
- Kynaston McShine, Information, exhibition catalogue, Museum of Modern Art, 1970
- Seth Siegelaub, July/August, exhibition catalogue, Studio International, London, 1970
- Deborah Wye, Wendy Weitman, Eye on Europe: Prints, Books & Multiples - 1960 to Now, Museum of Modern Art, Oct. 2006
External links
- Art & Project featured on Left Matrix
- Art & Project Bulletins: 1968 - 1989, a retrospective exhibit at gallery Specific Object / David Platzker
- Comprehensive compilation of Art & Project bulletins (PDF) hosted by Specific Object / David Platzker
- Newly discovered Art & Project bulletins provided by 20th Century Art Archives
- Art & Project Bulletin, Amsterdam 1968-1989, retrospective presentation at Geneva's MAMCO museum
- 1968 establishments in the Netherlands
- 2001 disestablishments in the Netherlands
- Art museums and galleries established in 1968
- Art museums and galleries disestablished in 2001
- Art museums and galleries in Amsterdam
- Contemporary art magazines
- Defunct magazines published in the Netherlands
- Free magazines
- Irregularly published magazines
- Magazines established in 1968
- Magazines disestablished in 1989
- Magazines published in Amsterdam
- Mass media in The Hague
- Monthly magazines published in the Netherlands