Witness in Stone is a joint publication by the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) and the Tropenmuseum Amsterdam. Both organizations are derived from the former Colonial Institute. This book tells their story, through the adornments in and on the building in which they reside. Roughly 200 artworks and decorations can be discovered in its structure, hinting to Dutch history and its attitude towards the former Dutch colonies. More than just depicting the Netherlands and its colonies, they are symbolic references to European despotism and the supposed barbarity of colonized countries. Sometimes they reinforce discriminatory beliefs. The Tropenmuseum and KIT reflect on these symbolisms and ways of representation in Witness in Stone. 

An online tour on: https://witnessinstone.kit.nl

Concept, text and editing by Robin Lelijveld, Rik Herder, Wayne Modest, Maarten van den Berg and Juliette Huygen
Graphic Design by PutGootink
Production by Susanne Ton

“The Academic Medical Center (AMC) houses the largest permanently exhibited collection of post-1945 fine art from the Netherlands. Its foundations were laid during building in the early 1980s, when the so-called one-percent regulation enabled a series of carefully chosen art commissions and purchases. The goal was to build a collection that would reflect the various movements in postwar Dutch art. Over the years, the collection has been augmented with numerous gifts, works on longterm loan and purchases. In addition to approximately 6,000 paintings, photographs and works on paper, the collection contains a large number of monumental objects and videos”. (vbcn.nl)

The numerous renowned artists represented include Karel Appel, Constant Nieuwenhuys, Jan Schoonhoven, Armando, Ger van Elk, Jan Dibbets, J.C.J. van der Heyden, Robert Zandvliet, Roy Villevoye, Carel Visser, Marlene Dumas, Rineke Dijkstra, Marc Mulders, Elspeth Diederix and Guido van der Werve.The AMC actively commissions works of public art. In recent years, artists have included Jan van der Ploeg, Jacqueline Hassink, Floris van Manen, Vincent Zedelius, Maria Barnas, Merijn Bolink and Scarlett Hooft Graafland.

“Composed of artistic accounts that critically reflect on recent urban and social changes in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, this book unveils multifaceted perspectives on a city trying to negotiate its complex heritage, intensely contentious present and potential for the future. It also serves as an alternative guidebook to be explored in situ, or read from afar”. (onomatopee.net)

Editorial by Data Chigholashvili, Nini Palavandishvili and Marike Splint
Graphic Design by Nini Palavandishvili

“Creativity, self-determination, a distinctive view of the world. That is the core of the meaning of the international art collection of The Hague University of Applied Sciences. With its almost boundless range of images and ideas, this collection reflects on the world around the school and the diversity of the people within its walls. The role art could play was a prime consideration from the first planning for its new building for The Hague University on the Johanna Westerdijkplein”.
(kunstcollectie-hhs.nl)

The Hague University now has a modest but strong art collection. In addition to the monumental commissioned art works by Stephan Balkenhol, Hans van Bentem, Lawrence Weiner and Roland Schimmel, it includes dozens of photo works by artists such as Anton Corbijn, Michael François, Andreas Gursky, John Hilliard, Teun Hocks, Shirin Neshat, Liza May Post, Johan Nieuwenhuize and Beat Streuli.