This paper opens a discussion into sustainable practices and their influences on museums. It specifically examines how museums have used fashion and textile exhibitions to advocate for...Show moreThis paper opens a discussion into sustainable practices and their influences on museums. It specifically examines how museums have used fashion and textile exhibitions to advocate for sustainability while further presenting suggestions on how museums can proceed with sustainable goals in mind. Understanding that sustainability in museums needs collaborative and international aid to be implemented successfully, this research hopes to deepen scholarly pursuits in this subject by analysing how European museums have fostered environmental awareness and how they have used collective action to educate audiences on the interplay of materials and sustainability ethics.Show less
This thesis delves into the captivating world of Dutch genre prints from the 16th and 17th centuries, focusing on the communicative meaning of eye contact made by the depicted figures with the...Show moreThis thesis delves into the captivating world of Dutch genre prints from the 16th and 17th centuries, focusing on the communicative meaning of eye contact made by the depicted figures with the contemporary viewer. Through several case studies, divided into the categories: “stereotypes”, “companies” and “couples”, it investigates how eye contact is used to capture attention, deliver commentary and prompt the contemporary beholder to reflection. The meaning behind the returned gaze aligns with the dual role of genre prints as sources of entertainment and moral instruction. This study affirms that “eyes speak”: conveying emotions and the complexities of 16th and 17th-century society. The conclusion highlights the need for further research on the gaze in different media.Show less
In this thesis, I examine two contemporary art exhibitions curated by the German research group Beauty of Oil, presented in Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg and Brutus Rotterdam. The art exhibitions treat the...Show moreIn this thesis, I examine two contemporary art exhibitions curated by the German research group Beauty of Oil, presented in Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg and Brutus Rotterdam. The art exhibitions treat the subject matter of petroleum and how the material has influenced our habits, belief systems and cultural values. I have anchored my research in the academic debate of energy humanities and petrocultures, in which questions are posed on the influence of petroleum and how we ought to rethink our energy consumption in the current climate crisis. I have argued that especially museums and other cultural institutions ought to engage explicitly with the debate on petroleum to reach the broader public. By working together with the audience, exhibition spaces can be considered to be a valuable and constructive asset to the discourse on the necessary energy transition.Show less
Museums are affective. During the museum experience, we might encounter something that affects us. Sometimes this something lies in the autonomous qualities of an object on display. But sometimes,...Show moreMuseums are affective. During the museum experience, we might encounter something that affects us. Sometimes this something lies in the autonomous qualities of an object on display. But sometimes, it is purposefully fostered by a curatorial intervention. This rather recent museological trend, theorised as affective curatorship, justifies its contemporary relevance by the didactic function of affects. Mostly implemented in museums dealing with difficult histories and their memory work, this thesis explores the potential of affects for feminist curations. Addressing the specific experience of affective dissonance, this work aims to contribute to the current understanding of museums as spaces of collective healing and well-being, and suggests affective dissonance as a methodology for feminist curators. Grounding its argument on the analysis of two exhibitions from the personal experience of deep affective dissonance, the research project argues for its efficiency in raising patriarchal consciousness and empowerment within the visitors identifying as women, and proposes a toolbox of curatorial strategies designed to foster its experience.Show less
This thesis examines a collection of drawings by Abraham Delfos (1731-1820), an eighteenth-century engraver and draftsman from Leiden. Housed in the Print Room of Leiden University Libraries, these...Show moreThis thesis examines a collection of drawings by Abraham Delfos (1731-1820), an eighteenth-century engraver and draftsman from Leiden. Housed in the Print Room of Leiden University Libraries, these drawings predominantly consist of reproductions made after seventeenth-century paintings. Despite the fact that reproductions were a common practice and a typical eighteenth-century phenomenon, they have received limited attention from researchers. By examining Delfos' drawings within the broader context of his time, including his role as a director and his involvement in the establishment of drawing academy Ars Aemula Naturae, as well as his art dealership, this research uncovers the historical significance of these artworks. The study explores the factors that influenced changing attitudes towards reproductions and their growing popularity in the eighteenth century. Through a comprehensive analysis of Delfos' drawings, insights are gained into the influences shaping his artistic approach, the role of art education, and the perception of reproductions. These drawings serve as valuable windows into the past, offering a unique perspective on the interplay between art, education, societal development, and the evolving status of reproductions in the eighteenth century. The exploration not only highlights Delfos as an artist but also enriches our understanding of the artistic and cultural landscape of the time.Show less
This thesis examines the paintings of Henry Scott Tuke (1858-1929) against the backdrop of late Victorian and Edwardian Britain, exploring how his depictions of naked youths at the British seaside...Show moreThis thesis examines the paintings of Henry Scott Tuke (1858-1929) against the backdrop of late Victorian and Edwardian Britain, exploring how his depictions of naked youths at the British seaside navigated and subverted dominant cultural narratives of gender and sexuality. The study employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating the lens of “the queer gaze,” multiple social-historical contexts in relation to the seaside, and critical reception. The first chapter delves into Tuke's portrayal of naked youths, revealing layers of homoerotic desire and voyeurism. Through visual analysis, Tuke's paintings are shown to evoke both childhood innocence and charged intimacy, inviting viewers to question and interpret the subtle sensuality within them. The second chapter examines the significance of the British seaside in Tuke's work, highlighting its idealized portrayal as a utopia of leisure and a masculine homosocial space. The final chapter explores the reception of Tuke's paintings during his lifetime and in current perspectives, revealing a nuanced tension between tradition and innovation in both style and subject. Tuke's depictions of naked youths at the beach occupy a liminal space between convention and novelty, both accepted by the critics of his time as well as the Royal Academy and celebrated by queer fringe groups. Overall, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of Tuke's work while shedding light on broader discussions surrounding the representation of gender and sexuality in art history.Show less
This thesis conducts a detailed exploration of transcultural curation through the lens of the controversy surrounding Taring Padi's People's Justice at Documenta Fifteen. It delves into the...Show moreThis thesis conducts a detailed exploration of transcultural curation through the lens of the controversy surrounding Taring Padi's People's Justice at Documenta Fifteen. It delves into the thematic and artistic choices of Documenta, focusing on the co-curation model spearheaded by ruangrupa and its impact on transcultural exhibitions. The analysis extends to Germany's historical context concerning Documenta and the response to People's Justice. Additionally, it highlights the influence of Indonesia's Reformasi movement on the art collectives Taring Padi and ruangrupa, shaping the narrative of Documenta Fifteen. This study probes the diverse interpretations and reactions to People's Justice in Germany, alongside the media's depiction of these cultural exchanges. It further explores the 'politics of belonging' concept by Yuval-Davis, shedding light on the complex dynamics of curating politically charged art. By emphasising the critical need for curators and artists to deeply understand the cultural and historical contexts of their work in different contexts, the research advocates for the use of interpretive tools—like spatial arrangements and thematic groupings—to address the complexities of artworks such as People's Justice. Concluding with acknowledging the evolving challenges in the art world, this thesis highlights the tension between artistic freedom and cultural sensitivity. It calls for further research into transcultural curation, audience reception studies, and the impact of co-curation models.Show less
The incorporation of other-than-human agencies in artistic practice has become increasingly popular within artistic institutions worldwide. The proliferation of exhibitions involving living things...Show moreThe incorporation of other-than-human agencies in artistic practice has become increasingly popular within artistic institutions worldwide. The proliferation of exhibitions involving living things signals the willingness to challenge traditional understandings of the human and its positioning in the world. Particular scrutiny will be directed towards the hosting space of such creative endeavors, seeking to shed light on how alternative art institutions, rather than conventional art galleries, provide a particularly promising and prolific context for the overall meaning-making process of multispecies artistic interventions; more specifically, it will be described how those latter provide venues where heightened levels of exploration and ethicality can be attained. The aim of the study is to highlight how cultural institutions’ experimentations with multispecies placemaking lay foundations for the emergence of unprecedented community formations, conscious of the complex and interlinked nature of the societies we cohabit. Simply put, the core inquiry that anchors this thesis is: how do alternative art spaces contribute to our understanding of multispecies coexistence in urban communities?Show less
This thesis sets out to compare several landscape drawings of artists that went to Italy and those that did not. Both groups are called Italianates, but that does not always mean that they saw the...Show moreThis thesis sets out to compare several landscape drawings of artists that went to Italy and those that did not. Both groups are called Italianates, but that does not always mean that they saw the landscape first hand. What are the differences between these groups and how can we tell them apart via visual analysis? Furthermore, this thesis aims to compare the watermarks of the drawings in order to provide a technical foundation before comparing the drawings on a visual level. The artists that have been selected for this comparison are Jan Both, Thomas Wijck, Nicolaes Berchem and Jacob van der Ulft, who are all born in the Northern Netherlands at the beginning of the seventeenth century.Show less
