50 years of Dutch art showcased at the Art Gallery

An exhibition of Dutch prints that represent the best of graphic art produced in the Netherlands over the past half-century is on exhibit now at the GVSU Art Gallery.

Titled The Dutch Collection of Contemporary Prints, the exhibition provides a sampling of a collection of 500 prints by contemporary Dutch artists recently donated to GVSU by the Brooks family. About 30 pieces are on display through February 7 at the Art Gallery, located in the Performing Arts Center on the Allendale Campus. Gallery hours: M-F 10 a.m.-5 p.m., TH 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

A reception for the exhibit will be held 5-7 p.m. on January 30 at the Art Gallery. The event is open to the public

The collection, which includes 200 artists whose works can be found in art museums throughout Europe, is likely the most comprehensive collection of contemporary Dutch works on paper in the state, according to Henry Matthews, director of Galleries and Collections at GVSU.

This significant collection was amassed by Amsterdam sculptor and graphic artist Cyril Lixenberg, who over the decades acquired works by contemporaries he admired, many times exchanging his own artwork for that of his colleagues. The result is a showcase of the many styles, movements, and controversies that characterize Dutch works on paper over the last half-century. Artists include such high-profile names as Barbara Hepworth, Victor Vasarely, Karel Appel, and many others.

A sampling of the collection can also be seen throughout the year at the GVSU Meijer Campus in Holland. The first-ever Holland campus exhibit is a tribute to longtime Holland residents James and Donna Brooks, whose gift enabled Grand Valley to acquire the collection. When not on display, the artwork is housed at Grand Valley's newly established Print and Drawing Cabinet, open to students and community members for research and tours.

Please call (616) 331-2564 for more information on exhibits or the Print and Drawing Cabinet.