Here & Now

Bergen

Bergen has a remarkable history. Around 1915, artists put the village on the map as an important centre for modern Dutch painting. The artists who worked in and around the village at that time are known as the Bergen School. Their work is characterised by a moderate form of expressionism, in which they predominantly used deep, warm colours and bold brushstrokes.

Charley Toorop

Artists such as Leo Gestel, Charley Toorop and Arnout Colnot worked in Bergen, drawn by the village’s unique surroundings. Generations of artists followed, each with their own unique perspective. Through its programme, Museum Kranenburgh deliberately provides a platform for socially engaged artists and themes that touch on society, the environment and ecology. The museum’s garden serves as a special extension of this: set amongst the greenery, visitors can discover pieces from the collection that bring to life the connection between people, nature and the environment.

Collection Plan

‘Here’ and ‘Now’ form the two pillars of Museum Kranenburgh’s new collection plan. ‘Here’, because Bergen and its surroundings are always the starting point for the collection and the museum’s stories. And ‘Now’, because the collection never stands still. It responds to today’s world, to what moves and concerns us. ‘Here & Now’ reveals the essence of the collection: rooted in this place’s past, open to the future.