fries museum in 2022: at the heart of society

The Fries Museum in Leeuwarden was able to do a lot for Fryslân in 2022. The exhibitions À la campagne and Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory attracted not only many thousands of cultural tourists from all over the country, plenty of whom stayed overnight and had a bite to eat somewhere, but also a striking number of Frisians (40%). ‘That’s why we do it,’ says director Kris Callens. ‘The Fries Museum was built by and for Frisians. We are grutsk that we are at the centre of society with our programmes and at the same time are extending our outreach to new Frisians and vulnerable groups such as elderly people with dementia and people with a disability. In the years ahead we will continue to strive to make as much impact as possible for the region, because Fryslân deserves it.’

national appreciation for major exhibitions

Nationwide, museum visits have yet to recover after Corona, but the Fries Museum more than met its targets with 114,000 visitors. This was partly due to two highly rated exhibitions. À la campagne: French Light from Maris to Monet, about nineteenth-century painting, was rated 8.5 by visitors. Dutch newspapers NRC awarded the exhibition four stars, which they described as ‘a feast for the eyes’; De Volkskrant spoke of ‘a wonderful exhibition’; and De Telegraaf complemented ‘the rooms bathed in warm, shimmering summer light’. À la campagne was part of the triennial Arcadia, the follow-up to Leeuwarden-Fryslân Cultural Capital of Europe 2018. Thanks to the renovation and renewal of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, works by acclaimed painters such as Cézanne, Monet, Pissarro, Gauguin, Maris, Van Gogh, Sisley, Boudin and Weissenbruch travelled from its newly opened depot in Rotterdam to Leeuwarden for this one-time-only exhibition.
Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory, a major exhibition on the Middle Ages, opened in the autumn and can be visited until 7 May next year. Again, NRC awarded it four stars and De Telegraaf proclaimed: ‘The exhibition Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory at the Fries Museum opens up a fascinating world worthy of a TV series.’ Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory is based on the latest scientific findings about life in the north during the High and Late Middle Ages. The AVROTROS television programme Historisch Bewijs (‘Historical Evidence’) delved into the myth of Grutte Pier’s sword. Viewers asked questions such as: does the dating of the sword correspond to the time in which Pier lived, and was the gigantic sword, measuring 2.13 metres long and weighing 6.6 kilograms, really used in battle? The answers: Yes and yes! Physical remains of ‘kletsies’, a type of spear that could also be used as a vaulting pole, were also found in the depot this year. These peculiar objects, previously thought to be ‘travel candlesticks’, turned out to be the feet of kletsies. This discovery sheds more light on the Frisians’ idiosyncratic history. Whereas À la campagne attracted numerous art lovers from across the country, Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory has been well attended by history buffs.

Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory, photo by Ruben van Vliet

premiere of the standard-bearer in fryslân

One of the highlights of 2022 was the ‘premiere’ of Rembrandt’s painting The Standard-bearer (1636). This masterpiece, acquired by the Dutch state with support from the Rembrandt Association and the Rijksmuseum Fund, began its nationwide tour this spring at the Fries Museum, attracting a lot of press attention. The Fries Museum was an obvious starting point because of Rembrandt’s special connection to Friesland: his wife Saskia Uylenburgh was born there.

The Standard-bearer, photo Ruben van Vliet

contemporary art as a mirror of society

Of a very different order but no less impressive is the work of Kosovar artist Petrit Halilaj (1986), which is displayed on the third floor. Intimate, personal experiences are at the core, but his work simultaneously touches on broader, societal issues such as freedom and identity, the (re)appreciation of stories, and recognition of LGBTQI+ rights. The museum also exhibited work by Mai van Oers (Uden, 1953) and objects from its own contemporary collection, including recent acquisitions and previously unseen works. During Arcadia, the museum presented the exhibition Fertile Grounds: Reimagining the Frisian Peatlands with Christien Meindertsma. Three rooms were transformed into a dynamic laboratory where visitors interacted with each other. Frisians, farmers, politicians, nature lovers and experts focused on the question: what does the future hold for the Frisian peatlands? The installation Swiet/Swit by De Onkruidenier was displayed in the museum foyer. This artist collective stayed in Friesland for a residency at the invitation of Kunsthuis SYB and researched the eternal symbiosis between fresh and salt water in our bodies and in the landscape. Visitors could actively participate by generating oxygen and light for edible water plants growing in water basins. Regular exhibitions of initiatives from the region were displayed in the free-to-access foyer. For instance, there was an exhibition by Kunstbende, and young people from Fier, a counselling and treatment centre, shared their sculptures with accompanying stories about trauma, grief and fear, but also about recovery, self-acceptance and trust. As part of Liberation Day 2022, the Fries Verzetsmuseum went in search of Frisian Liberation Skirts. These skirts, made from pieces of fabric preserved during the war and decorated with embroidered memories, became a symbol of post-war unity, grief management and women’s emancipation. The skirts and stories were displayed in the museum foyer and can still be viewed online at friesverzetsmuseum.nl/bevrijdingsrok

inspiring children and young people

The museum develops special educational programmes so that Frisian children and young people can visit the museum, regardless of their socio-economic situation. In the exhibition À la campagne, thousands of children and young people got to grips with Impressionist works through a challenging assignment, and they were introduced to their own roots in Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory. Petrit Halilaj’s work inspired them to think about how they become who they are and how they can explore history in their own environment and create new stories and imaginaries from it. The free return tickets we give to pupils are an effective way to attract new visitors, sometimes resulting in a visit with family members the same day, after the pupil returns home bursting with enthusiasm about their visit. The long-term cooperation with vocational schools in Friesland regularly leads to impressive results, and once again, this year was no exception. Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory features a meticulous – working – reconstruction of a ‘gladde’, a huge medieval catapult, made by students and teachers from ROC Friese Poort in Sneek. Students from the Theatre teacher training programme at NHL Stenden Hogeschool performed theatrical interventions at the Taus Makhacheva and Petrit Halilaj exhibitions for their project internship, attracting a large audience. For many interns, the connection with this museum context is so strong that we often meet them again as teachers with a new generation of pupils and students in their wake.

inclusive activities

Many children and young people also came to the museum with their parents or grandparents to participate in the free holiday workshops or follow a family trail through an exhibition. In October, the museum organised the Cool Kids’ Night together with the Fryslân Museum Federation, a great success attended by almost 500 visitors. The museum regularly organises activities for target groups that do not normally visit museums. The opening days of the exhibitions were open to everyone free of charge and were accompanied by a programme of activities. The special Dungeons & Dragons evening sold out in no time. The museum also offered in-depth information through guided tours and lectures. The themes of the contemporary exhibitions were inspirational conversation starters. During the closing event of the exhibition of the Russian artist Taus Makhacheva, experts and Slavists gave guided tours, placed the works in a historical and contemporary context and talked with visitors. One visitor responded to the video Tightrope, in which we see a tightrope walker moving artworks across a tightrope between two mountains: ‘Incredibly haunting because it is amazingly close to what is happening in Ukraine right now. Who makes the decision to move the artworks, and how and where to? The tightrope underscores the perils and precariousness of art.’ The museum embraces the role it can play for vulnerable groups in society. The museum was able to enhance the lives of many people through its collaborations with organisations like the Refugee Council, the Kwadrant Group and the MuseumPlusBus.

frisian collection in motion

The museum manages and maintains its collection of more than 200,000 objects in the sustainable Kolleksjesintrum Fryslân. The entire collection has now been digitised. Research and indexing is ongoing to ensure it remains usable and relevant for Fryslân and beyond. To make it easier for other museums to borrow objects from the Royal Frisian Society’s collection, the loan agreement was greatly simplified in 2022. Works are also added conform to a focused collection profile and policy, such as an early painting by Piet Mondrian that we acquired this year. It is a portrait of the Frisian couple Egbert Roels Kuipers and Jantje Tjeerds Wiegersma. Mondrian painted it in 1901, years before he developed his signature abstract style in red, yellow and blue. The portrait will be displayed in the exhibition Reunited by Mondrian until 4 June 2023. The museum also acquired Christoffel Bisschop’s work Winter in Friesland. A major exhibition on the influential painter and his wife Kate will open in 2023. The Fries Museum and the Fries Verzetsmuseum (Frisian Resistance Museum) also added a number of key pieces to the Canon of the Netherlands this year. The Canon, compiled chiefly for educational purposes, is a compendium of cultural and historical objects, events and people that society considers important enough to preserve for this and future generations and new residents. We are proud that eight objects from our collection are now included in the Canon of the Netherlands.

Piet Mondrian, Portrait of Egbert Roels Kuipers and Jantje Tjeerds Wiegersma, 1901

green and inclusive

At the beginning of this year, the museum joined the Koploper project, an initiative of Tourism Alliance Friesland, Circular Friesland, Ynbusiness, the Province of Fryslân and DZyzzion. To underscore its commitment to sustainability, the museum appointed a sustainability project leader who researched the various options in 2022 and drew up an action plan. In addition, an internal working group was launched that continuously submits proposals for circular and environmentally friendly initiatives and alternatives: from the procurement of materials and services to recycling in exhibition construction. The museum also has an internal working group on diversity and inclusion and is affiliated to Musea bekennen Kleur, a platform where museums engage in in-depth discussions on how we collectively implement diversity and inclusion.
In the spring, pupils from group 8 of IKC Prins Constantijn researched their own cultural diversity in relation to the role of the Fries Museum in society. Together with us, they explored how Musea Bekennen Kleur’s course De kunst van het doorgeven (‘The Art of Passing On’) can be further developed.

economic impact

In addition to its social and cultural impact, the museum also generated significant income for the region. 61,000 people came to Friesland especially for the Fries Museum this year and there were 18,000 overnight bookings. They spent a total of almost €6 million on food, drinks, shopping and other activities. 1,600 mostly positive articles were written about the museum that year, with an advertising value of €3.6 million. With publications supplementing exhibitions, such as the book accompanying Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory, the museum not only generates more of its own income, but also preserves knowledge for future generations.

The publication Freedom, Feuds, Purgatory

2023: plans and potential pitfalls

Work on the programme for 2023 is in full swing behind the scenes. Central to this is a stunning exhibition on nineteenth-century painter Christoffel Bisschop, who, together with his wife Kate, drew on the past to create a nostalgic world of their own. Christoffel in particular fell under the spell of the quirky little town of Hindeloopen. We will also celebrate an anniversary in 2023, when it will be 10 years since the Fries Museum moved to the impressive new building on Wilhelminaplein in Leeuwarden. We would like to celebrate this joyful event together with all of Fryslân. However, there are also pitfalls. In recent years, the museum has grown into a major national player with its high-quality exhibitions and innovative activity programmes, but there are real concerns that if no additional funding is forthcoming, the museum will have to make significant changes. Staff, exhibitions, activity and educational programmes and even opening hours will have to be cut. This is because our core funding has not increased in line with inflation. Skyrocketing energy costs are also a source of alarm, as are sharply rising labour costs. Drastic interventions seem inevitable, but would result in a significant loss, not only for the organisation itself, but especially for Fryslân. The museum hopes to receive additional support, because Fryslân deserves it!

The Fries Museum is partly funded by the Province of Fryslân, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Municipality of Leeuwarden, the VriendenLoterij, the Ir. Abe Bonnema Foundation and the Friends of the Fries Museum.

historical evidence

the myth of grutte pier 's sword under the microscope