Neon art

"Neon 206 is a continuation of Chihuly's explorarations in neon. The coloured tubes seem to float, multiplying in number. The installation consists of factory-made glass tubes that have been heated and bent into angular forms which are filled with neon and argon gasses and charged with electricity." (museum info)

Neon 206 is part of the current exhibition "Chihuly" in the Groninger Museum.

Rainy day

View from inside the Groninger Museum across the city canal towards the Stationsstraat and bus station, on a rainy day last December.

Happy New Year

Ik wens al mijn bloglezers een sprankelend nieuwjaar!

I wish all my blog readers a sparkling New Year!

Chihuly Icicle Tower

'Chandeliers (like the one on the photo in a previous post) and Towers are perhaps the best example of Chihuly's desire to mass and control color on a grand scale. Unlike traditional chandeliers, they reflect light instead of emitting it.' (Museum info)

Go see the exhibition in the Groninger Museum if you have the chance. Happy Friday! :)

Chihuly Icicle Chandelier

The current major exhibition in the Groninger Museum exists of 16 installations of sensational glass creations by Americal artist Dale Chihuly (1941). His series of Chandeliers and Towers are assembled with multiple hand-blown glass forms mounted to a steel armature.

More to follow in the coming days. Check the link to the museum's website HERE.

Piano

Next to the Christmas tree in the hall of Groningen Central Station -see yesterday's photo- was a piano. This girl played for about 15 minutes, while her friend encouraged her and sang along. It was very sweet.

Lights

At Groningen Central Station.

Cappuccino

 Enjoying cappuccino and a treat in the restaurant of the Groninger museum.

De Ploeg exhibition

This year it will be 100 years since a group of young Groningen artists founded the artist collective De Ploeg ('The Plough' or 'The Group'). They decided it was high time to abandon 19th century ideals and traditions. Seeking new paths in painting, their work exists of brightly coloured Groningen landscapes and dynamic city scenes. The painting above by Jan Altink (1885-1971) is called 'The Harrower' ('De Egger' in Dutch). Altink was cofounder of De Ploeg.

This painting from 1927 shows the well known Groningen square 'Vismarkt' ('Fish Market'), painted by George Martens (1894-1979).
To mark the anniversary of 100 years of De Ploeg, the Groninger Museum currently presents "Avant-Garde in Groningen: De Ploeg, 1918-1928", with more than 250 works of art .

View on the Groninger Museum

As soon as you leave Groningen Central Station there is this view on the colourful buildings of the Groninger Museum.

The museum consists of 3 main pavillions, all modernist structures. The eye-catching yellow tower was designed by Alessandro Mendini, an Italian architect.

Upon arrival..

..at Groningen Central Station.

View from the train

Apartments near Groningen-Europapark trainstation. Photo taken from the train.

A new face

One hundred portraits in spatial pixels from residents in the city of Groningen form one new "average" face (if there is one..;): this artwork from the wall of a municipal building in Groningen city was revealed in 2014 and is called "Groninger Universalis". It was created by Lambert Kamps (he also made the folly of the former church tower that I showed you recenty) and Tjeerd Veenhoven.

Have a sparkling New Year's Eve!

Tidings from far away

Dutch artist Ruud Venekamp (1957) was inspired by the Indonesian landscape when he painted this series of 7 large canvases. The country had impressed him by its light and colours, and the systematically landscaped plantations, which he calls 'tropical architecture'.

Venekamp lives and works in Groningen city. The exhibition "Tidings from far away" from this year was his first in the Groninger Museum.

Groningen CS

View towards Groningen Central Station seen from the Emma viaduct.

Marking the city boundaries

When you approach Groningen city from the south on highway A28 you see this free-standing 43 meter high electricity pylon with 7 (metal) flames. The object is called 'S01 Gate Tower Clio' and was put here in 1990 when the city of Groningen celebrated its 950th anniversary. The flames stand for the days of the week, and (a bit hard to see on this photo) the numbers 1040 on the front refer to the year 1040 when the city was officially mentioned for the first time.
The pylon is one of ten sculptures belonging to the 'Marking the city boundaries'-project. The pylon links to the natural gas fields near the city, and the name 'Clio' is the muse of history in Greek mythology.
This photo was taken from the backside from a walking trail, on the other side of the trees is highway A28.
If you would like to read more about the project (in Dutch) click HERE.

Starck pavilion

This photo was taken when I was about to go downstairs and leave the Starck pavilion, one of the exhibition rooms of the Groninger Museum. The interior of this large room, with many round shapes, was designed by French architect Philippe Starck.

Mosaic stairs

The Groninger Museum is partly underground, from the lobby on the ground floor you take the colourful mosaic concrete stairs down to arrive here in this hall, from where the exhibitions can be reached. The spiral stairs were designed by Italian designer and architect Alessandro Mendini.

And looking up..   
For another photo taken from a different perspective, posted on this blog a few years ago, click HERE.

Dark romanticism

This dress made by Marga Weimans (1970) was created from polyester, satin, tin, and plastic. It is part of the Groninger Museum's current exhibition "Romanticism Today!". This particular dress was presented as "Dark romanticism in fashion and design".

Marga Weimans graduated as a fashion designer in 2005. Her collections were presented in Paris and in several exhibitions in Dutch museums. In her work she uses themes like identity, technology and beauty.

View from the Reidehoeve visitor center

Adjacent to the Joh.Kerkhovenpolder, of which I told you in my previous posts, is the Breebaartpolder. This 63 hectares (155 acres) large piece of land was transformed into a polder in 1979, and has become known for its extensive bird life. Visitors find paths for hiking and cycling, a hut for birdwatching, and a visitor center called Reidehoeve. The photo above was taken through one of the windows of the visitor center, where -as you can see- the window sills were also used for exhibiting items.