ART VUGHT IN THE KLAVERBLAD
Summer outdoor exhibition on the Heuvel in Vught
There must be more life in the center of Vught, if it is up to gallery owner Joris van Loon. “That would be great. We are going to contribute to that with Art Vught, which we have every other year. We start on the Heuvel and create a kind of village park there with trees six to seven meters high. Between those trees, in the park, the art is exhibited by artists of 5 different nationalities.” Inside, in the beautiful building, more than 30 artists from 10 different nationalities exhibit. “In this way we literally try to remove the threshold for a visit to the gallery and to introduce as many people as possible to contemporary art”, says an enthusiastic Van Loon.
By Ada Imming
De Heuvel in the center of Vught has been transformed into a summer outdoor exhibition from Friday 10 June to Sunday 19 June. For nine days, the entire square adjacent to Van Loon Galleries will be a great experience that is freely accessible to everyone from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Van Loon also celebrates that the gallery has been part of Vught for 15 years, started at Taalstraat 53 and 51, where the Mariakerk could also be used as an exhibition space.
“Art seduces, challenges and evokes emotions,” says Mayor Van de Mortel in his foreword to the exhibition brochure. That is exactly what moves Joris van Loon (49). According to his own words, he rolled into art out of a hobby and stuck with him.
Increasing awareness
Over the past 21 years, Joris van Loon has made a name for himself with several major art exhibitions and Biennales in Vught (from 2009), Tilburg (from 2012) and Veghel (from 2016). In 2012, he started the Biennale Brabant in the Koepelhal of the Tilburg Spoorzone, a large-scale exhibition that attracted around 25,000 visitors each edition. He also wrote the Liliane Beelden Parade in Den Bosch in 2010 and the Artist-IQ Amsterdam in 2015. “That’s how I learned to set up these kinds of big events with artists from all over the world. At Art Vught you can see works of art made of all kinds of different materials such as stone, ceramics, bronze, steel, glass and wood. I always choose expressive figurative art.” Some artists are also present, who like to talk to visitors.
Appearance
Art Vught also features artists with whom Van Loon has been working since the early days. “We only work with professional artists from the sub-top and the top who make contemporary art. I believe that we as a gallery are obliged to offer artists the largest possible stage. That is why we want to remove the barrier for as many people as possible and let them come into contact with art. For an artist, his art is a way of expressing himself, showing that art to the world and telling the broadest possible story. Those artists live for and from that. A good artist has an oeuvre. You can see how he has developed and you can recognize his ‘signature’ all over the world. His work has a unique appearance.”
Welcoming house
Van Loon always consciously opts for expressive figurative art and not just for cold abstraction or video installations and everything in between. “That is a clear choice. We offer a hospitable house, which is finely furnished and where there is time for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. You have to take in art when you are at rest. Then you can relax and enjoy.” There is a different exhibition every 6 to 8 weeks. “Our gallery is also suitable for an outing with a group or a few people. Van Loon offers a living room atmosphere in a very tasteful interior, where you can also sit, talk and watch.”
And the art is stunningly beautiful!
Participating artists are Carla Dijs, Irénée Duriez, Bob Lejeune, Nimrod Messeg, Ramon Otting, Rabarama, René Rikkelman, Paz Sanz Fle, Tom Seerden, Bart Somers, Chris Tap, Kitty Tijbosch, Karin van de Walle, Ans Zondag, Rob Zweerman, Marek Zyga.
“We literally try to remove the threshold for a visit and to introduce as many people as possible to contemporary art.”
– Joris van Loon
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