Piet Hein Eek

Van Abbemuseum The first exhibition in our complex, ‘The Prologue', was opened by Charles Esche, Director of the Van Abbemuseum, who, by signing an agreement, declared a unique collaboration with the Van Abbemuseum. This agreement entails a long-term public-private collaborative arrangement with the Van Abbemuseum and is unique in that it takes place on the following levels: - Strategic: developing content-related activities/programmes from the perspective of both parties based on the notion that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. - Programme: developing activities and programmes in a project-based fashion and in co-production (such as developing exhibitions for the PHE/MDD exhibition spaces/collaboration during DDW in the Van Abbemuseum) - Business: developing a joint loan strategy and in-company programmes. - Maintenance: using each other’s expertise in collection management, management and maintenance of art collections for external partners. - Marketing and communication: arriving at mutual collaboration and coordination of activities and target groups selected for marketing and communication. The first selection from the museum collection is on display in a special Van Abbemuseum display case and was compiled by Menno Derk Doornbos and Christiane Berndes. This presentation is a metaphor and catalyst for the commercial lending of art works within companies. It is also the first time a museum collection is being used in this way. Works of art by Lothar Baumgarten, Bernd & Hilla Becher, Ad Dekkers, Barry Flanagan, Allan McCollum, Aernout Mik, Juan Muñoz, Pieter Ouborg and Charley Toorop have been selected by Menno Derk Doornbos to this end. The ‘Summer Camp’ installation by Yael Bartana and a unique piece by Marjetica Potrč from the Van Abbemuseum collection are also on display. Menno Derk Doornbos, Piet Hein Eek and Charles Esche are convinced of the superior strength attained by combining the strengths of the three organisations. The collaboration among these Eindhoven-based representatives of visual art and design opens up new opportunities on a regional, national and international level. Piet Hein Eek: “The collaboration with the Van Abbemuseum can easily be called a breaking of conventions. The turn of the century and financial crisis have created new enthusiasm, in which a culture of compartmentalisation, differences and impossibilities has given way to collaboration and opportunities.” Menno Derk Doornbos: “This type of public-private collaboration is only one small contribution towards enabling art to function as ideally as possible. The collaboration with Piet Hein Eek and presentation of various art disciplines under one roof are good examples of this. Having the Van Abbemuseum as a partner is a valuable reinforcement.”