Residency Update

On 22 August we opened the doors of The Art Department to welcome some curious visitors to the first part of the installation by our artists in residence Timo Demollin and Rutger de Vries. During their introductory event, the artists showed three works: VOOR\HEEN, and intervention on the building’s rooftop canopy, ILLUMINATION, a painting tool and mural exercise, and FRONTISPIECE, a photography composition.

Demollin and de Vries have taken an interest in the rich history of the building where Subbacultcha and The Art Department are located – former type foundry Tetterode.

Looking for parallels between past and present, a leading motif for the artists is a book design by S.H. de Roos, an influential type designer who was employed by the Tetterode company between 1907 and 1941. His book design for Kunst en Maatschappij (Art and Society) is recognised as an important step from traditional book decoration towards the functional application of typography.

The book is a compilation of Dutch translations of lectures deliver by William Morris, pioneer of the British Arts and Crafts movement. The first installment of Demolling and de Vries is based on the book cover and first chapter titled Bouwkunst en Geschiedenis (Architecture and History).

Photographer Robert Glas was present to document the installation, which will still be on view during the opening of the final exhibition on September 25.