Exhibition | Chinese Porcelain to Delft Blue, Princessehof Ceramics Museum’s Major Revamp

LEEUWARDEN,  The Netherlands—Leeuwarden’s city museum Princessehof Ceramics Museum (Keramiekmuseum Princessehof) opened its doors December 2, 2017 after undergoing two months of major renovations, the museum’s first. The renovation included a complete revamp of the museum’s presentation of its permanent collection, including the From East and West collection, comprising an important collection of Chinese porcelain, Delft Blue and Dutch art nouveau and art deco ceramics.

Our collections, from imperial porcelain from China and the rich collection of Art Nouveau ceramics to the iconic Delftware and ceramics by artists such as Picasso, show more than ever in the new presentation From East and West that ceramics are of all times and everyone.

Featured image: Babs Haenen, Farewell to Hsung-Yang, 2002, Image by Heleen Haijtema and Trintsja Nauta

The museum writes the renovation also included a new interior design of the collection, a brand-new entrance with tea room and children’s studio, a redesigned garden and four contemporary exhibitions.

With In Motion we present a large international exhibition of contemporary ceramic art installations. We also show solo exhibits by artist Johan Tahon and designer Floris Wubben and a new edition of EKWC @ Princessehof with Caroline Coolen .

You can read more about the In Motion exhibition from writer Anna Battista of Irenebrination.

This isn’t the museum’s first attempt to add context to its exhibitions and make ceramic art more accessible to a wide range of audiences. Rewind to 2015, when the museum launched a far less extreme attempt, an exhibition aimed at changing the perception of ceramic works. The 20th Century served as an investigation of the trends and styles that marked 100 years of changes in art, culture and society, through beautiful and fragile ceramic objects, Battista explains.

The event is organised in a chronological order, but it cleverly recounts key historical moments juxtaposing 400 ceramic objects (divided in thematical sections) with works from the fine and applied arts, photographs, film footage and furniture, a jukebox and even an original caravan from 1960.

Fostering relevancy for ceramic pieces, the exhibition strived to engage to visitors, young and old, in an accessible way making it easier to locate the objects in time and relate to them.

Do you love or loathe this revamp from the world of contemporary ceramic art and contemporary ceramics? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.