The (Nelly&)Theo van Doesburg Foundation continues as The Nelly & Theo van Doesburg Platform, 2026

Founded in 1987 by former Gerrit Rietveld Academie and Sandberg Instituut directors and leading figures from the Dutch art education community, the (Nelly&)Theo van Doesburg Foundation developed formats and positions for upcoming artists in the city of Amsterdam and society at large. This led amongst others to the notorious exhibition series Kunstvlaai (1997-2014), the platform for video art The One Minutes (1998-2017), various temporary and permanent public art works and programs at art collectors’ homes and construction sites (2018-2025).

From 2026 onwards the foundation transforms into The Nelly & Theo van Doesburg Platform headed by general and artistic director Jules van den Langenberg. In collaboration with a carefully developed and growing fellowship of artists, curators, landscape architects, politicians and property developers the pursuit for site specific projects and relational public art continues.

Through an open-minded approach, the platform welcomes donations and collaboration requests or commissions that are keen to invest in longevity, talent development and progressive art practices.

The Nelly & Theo van Doesburg Platform continues to build upon the legacy of the foundation and thanks all previous boardmembers, citizens, collaborators and benefactors involved.

Special thanks are in place to the Stadscuratorium of Amsterdam, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsdeel Zuid en Zuidas, the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts, De Groene Amsterdammer, the Jan Hanlo Foundation, the Buning Brongers Prize, AkzoNobel Art Foundation, BPD and The Collectors Circle and finally the chair of the board at Gerrit Rietveld Academie and Sandberg Instituut, Maaike Lauwaert, and educational directors, Miriam Bestebreurtje and Ruby Hoette, for their unbridled support.

The Nelly & Theo van Doesburg Platform invites you to join a toast to its future plans and welcomes you on Wednesday 27th of May from 17:00-19:00 in Amsterdam’s newest Neighbourhood under construction; Sluisbuurt in the East of Town.

For more program information, the precise location and to secure a glass please contact jules@theovandoesburgstichting.nl.

Trophies for the Jan Hanlo Essay Prize, 2025

Every two years, the (Nelly &) Theo Doesburg Foundation collaborates with the Jan Hanlo Foundation and the magazine De Groene Amsterdammer to create two unique trophies for the Jan Hanlo Essay Prize—a distinction awarded to outstanding essayistic work in the Netherlands.

For the 2025 edition, artist Annee Grøtte Viken and curator Jules van den Langenberg developed the trophies as part of a broader, ongoing research project into a future public artwork. Their point of departure was a visit to one of Amsterdam’s fastest-growing urban districts, where pioneer plants inspired the idea of introducing circles of flax into the evolving landscape.

These flax circles become sites for social gatherings and seasonal harvest celebrations. After harvesting, the flax is processed into linseed oil, traditionally used as a base for paint. This fully natural, locally produced paint is then applied to elements in public space—benches, lampposts, litter bins—using artisanal techniques that imitate marble or wood, giving everyday objects a monumental character.

The two trophies of 2025 are early prototypes of this concept: vintage Amsterdam rubbish bins repainted with linseed oil paint and transformed into carriers of narrative, community, and craftsmanship.

Image: Award ceremony at De Balie, photo by Nina Schollaardt.

Stadscuratorium Amsterdam and (Nelly&)Theo van Doesburg Foundation, 2024

The members of Stadscuratorium Amsterdam (SCA) provide the City of Amsterdam with solicited and unsolicited advice on its art in public space. In the so-called Stadsdialogen, SCA enters into discussions with parties from the city to further explore themes involved in that practice. The (Nelly&)Doesburg Foundation boardmembers Marjo van Baar and Jules van den Langenberg activily partook in one of the expert meetings that resulted in a letter to the cultural department of Amsterdam as well as an article on BK informatie magazine.

The text is by Nils van Beek, edited by Jeroen Boomgaard, Claudia Linders and Radna Rumping.

Read more about how New (types of) mediators are needed so that art in public space does not retreat into a niche: bkinformatie.nl/en/artikelen/alleskunners-bemiddelaars-in-de-veranderende-st

Amsterdam newspaper route along public art work proposal, 2023

As part of a popular series of articles, Dutch newspaper Het Parool, publishes thematic walks along uncommon spots or new areas in the City of Amsterdam. What started during the recent covid pandemic, continues to spark the curiosity of inhabitants as well as visitors of the capital of The Netherlands. In the February 2023 edition of the online and printed newspaper, the unrealized public art work Underground River by artist Carly Rose Bedford, which is based on using sand and glass for a landmark at the ferry stop, is featured in the walking route through the newly developed Sluisbuurt and Zeeburgereiland area.

The article and route is edited by Floor van Spaendonk en Gijs Stork.

Read more about the walk in this new part of Amsterdam: (https://www.parool.nl/ps/wandelen-in-amsterdam-op-zeeburgereiland~b2f8d0c7/)

Jan Hanlo Essay Award by (Nelly&) Theo van Doesburg Foundation and artist Kitty Maria van Ekeren, 2023

The Jan Hanlo essay Award invited our foundation to come up with a befitting trophy for the two writers winning the 2023 award for their texts. Artist Kitty Maria van Ekeren and the board of (Nelly&)Theo van Doesburg presented ‘digging writers’ to the audience and winners on a celebratory evening in De Balie, Amsterdam.

For more information about the price visit the Jan Hanloo Trofee website (Dutch only)

Buning Brongers Award and Exhibition for artist Negiste Yesside Johnson, 2022

Amsterdam based artist Negiste Yesside Johnson won the Buning Brongers Awards and will exhibit her latest works at Arti et Amicitiae from 25 November 2022 onwards. Other winners are Bobbi Essers, Muzammil Hussain, Emma Peters, Pepi Schikowski, Cao Tang. Candidates for the award are done by the Dutch art academies. On behalf of Sandberg Instituut, Masters programme of Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, board member of (Nelly&)Theo van Doesburg Foundation Jules van den Langenberg nominated the artist Yesside Johnson.

For more information about the opening and price visit the website of Buning Brongers (Dutch only)

Throphies for Jan Hanlo Essayprize, 2025

Every two years, the Doesburg Foundation collaborates with the Jan Hanlo Foundation and De Groene Amsterdammer magazine to create two unique trophies for the Jan Hanlo Essay Prize—celebrating outstanding Dutch essay writing.

For the 2025 edition, artist Annee Grøtte Viken and curator Jules van den Langenberg developed the trophies as part of a larger, ongoing research project for a future public artwork. Their starting point was a visit to one of Amsterdam’s fastest-growing neighborhoods, where wild pioneer plants sparked the idea of cultivating circles of flax throughout the area as it develops.

These circles become sites for social gatherings and seasonal harvest feasts. Once matured, the flax is processed into linseed oil, traditionally used as a base for paint. This all-natural, locally made paint is then applied to elements in the public space—benches, lanterns, and bins—using age-old techniques that imitate marble or wood, giving these everyday objects a monumental presence.

The two 2025 trophies are early prototypes of this vision: vintage Amsterdam trash bins, repainted with linseed-based pigment and transformed into vessels of story, community, and craft.

Image: Award ceremony at De Balie, photo by Nina Schollaardt.

Local tv on public art work Table of Contents, 2023

Interview by AT5 Amsterdam broadcasting, still from website AT5

Nadine van den Bosch, director of Young Collectors Circle and boardmember of the (Nelly&)Theo van Doesburg Foundation went back to check on the usage of public art work Table of Content which was developed by the foundation with artist Bin Koh and producers Makkum Tichelaar and Tomaello. Together with several inhabitants of the building and garden that hosts the work, and local Amsterdam TV station AT5, the boardmember and people discuss their new found life on Zeeburgereiland in the East of town.

The video by AT5 is part of their ongoing interview series The Streets of Amsterdam.

Watch the full video on the local broadcasters website: at5.nl/artikelen/e29591

Making of public art work Table of Contents, 2022

Video by BPD Cultuurfonds

The (Nelly&)Theo van Doesburg Foundation developed a two-year program for the development of site-specific proposals and the realization of a work in the context of the research project Cultural Commons, a collaboration between BPD | Bouwfonds Gebiedsontwikkeling, Sandberg Institute, Rietveld Academy, the Municipality of Amsterdam, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), Amsterdam Research Institute for the Arts and Sciences, de Waag Amsterdam and CasCo Utrecht.

The production process and more background information about the artwork Table of Contents can be seen in a video that was shown during the unveiling of the work. The artwork by artist Bin Koh and the (Nelly&)Theo van Doesburg Foundation was realized with thanks to Tomaello and Makkum Tichelaar.

Watch the full making of video including interviews with BPD, Sandberg Institute director Jurgen Bey and artist Bin Koh: vimeo.com/makingoftableofcontents

Facade art work Fabulator by artist Minne Kersten, Welcome Strangers art route, 2022

For Welcome Stranger, Minne Kersten installed an air conditioning unit on the facade of her house in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. Instead of functioning as its original intention of cooling the indoor air, the object is blowing smoke rings into the outdoor air. These are visible as circular puffs and seen traveling up to the sky, to eventually evaporate into thin air.

The smoke rings are only briefly visible as they emerge out of the machine, before they evaporate and vanish. There might be an attempt to communicate, but it also talks about a kind of fleeting nature of an image. In order to slow down the viewer, the work hovers on the verge of ephememality, disappearance or absence. 

The boardmembers of (Nelly&)Theo van Doesburg Foundation applaud the work and the platform for public art that Welcome Strangers offers and warmly recommend visiting the installation.

The work is on show on Kerstens’ facade from 24 June 2022 until 24 December 2022 at Schipluidenlaan, nr 12F (Broedplaats Lely), daily from 14:00-20:00 hours.

For more information and images visit the website of welcome stranger

Group show at AKZO NOBEL art foundation, 2021

Hester Alberdingk Thijm with works of Afra Eisma, Saskia Noor van Imhoff, Buhlebezwe Siwana. Photo by Friso Keuris.

AkzoNobel’s Art Foundation has been collecting art for more than twenty five years, underlining the company’s dedication to supporting culture and the arts. This called for a special celebration during 2021 with the opening of the All Eyes jubilee exhibition at the company’s head office in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The AkzoNobel Art Foundation is led by former (Nelly&)Theo van Doesburg Foundation board member Hester Alberdingk Thijm.

For more information about the exhibition and art collection visit the Akzonobel art foundation website.