DE PLOEG: Variations in Colour, Paint and Form

20 June to 6 September 1998

De Ploeg: Variations in Colour, Paint and Form provides a chronological survey of the development of modern art in Groningen from 1920 to 1960.

The most interesting artistic periods of the principal individual Ploeg artists are presented in an exhibition that draws on both private and museum collections (including Amsterdam's Stedelijk Museum and the Letterkundig Museum in The Hague) as well as containing key pieces from the museum's own collection.

Jan Wiegers, with his expressionist style based on Kirchner, introduced the new art form to Groningen. The show provides a broad survey of this so-called Groninger Expressionism with works by Wiegers, Altink, Dijkstra, Martens and Kleima. The artists Werkman and Alkema are represented by Constructivist prints and paintings respectively. Work by Hansen, Jordens and Van der Zee is shown from the 1 950s, a period in which they were able to link up with contemporary modern art. Also shown are works by Alida Pott, Johan van Zweden, Hendrik de Vries, Jannes de Vries and Henk Melgers. Central Ploeg themes such as the Groningen landscape and portraits are amply represented.

Research

In the coming years, the museum plans to focus closely on the image of De Ploeg and the artists involved. For that reason an advertisement was placed some time ago in newspapers and magazines appealing for people who had information about Ploeg artists or works by members of De Ploeg to get in touch with the museum. A steady flow of information resulted. The museum's Art department will be busy in the coming period collating these responses, stories and Ploeg treasures.

De Ploeg documentation centre

The Groninger Museum plans in the near future to set up a Ploeg documentation centre as part of the organisation, to collect documents and make these available.

Beeldlijn

In 1 996 the Beeldlijn foundation organised the filming of a video documentary on the early years of Groningen's association of artists, De Ploeg. The documentary can be seen from 20 June 1 998 and is on sale in the Groninger Museum. Accompanying the video documentary is a CD featuring compositions by Ruyneman. This CD project was organised by Beeldlijn foundation in close cooperation with Kees Wieringa of the Do foundation in Bilthoven.

Afslag Noord

A special De Ploeg issue of the magazine Afslag Noord marking the exhibition includes contributions by Henk van Os, Wim Crouwel, Wim Koops and Hans Paalman.