The Hoerengracht (1983–8), by American artists Ed Kienholz (1927–1994) and Nancy Reddin Kienholz (born 1943), will transform the National Gallery's Sunley Room into a walk-through evocation of Amsterdam's Red Light District. It will be the first time an installation of this kind has been exhibited at the National Gallery. The Hoerengracht is one of the most significant pieces of installation art made by the Kienholzes before Ed's death in the mid-1990s. Intense and often shocking, the ground-breaking installations – developed by Ed in the 1960s and continued in collaboration with his wife Nancy from 1972 – connect both to the art of the past and to more contemporary developments. Artists such as Mike Kelley, Paul McCarthy, Mike Nelson, the Chapman brothers, Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst have all produced work that is in a direct line of descent from Kienholz.

Made in the Kienholzes' Berlin studio, The Hoerengracht ('Whore's Canal'), a classic example of assemblage art, breaks down the barrier between art gallery space and the real world by using objects from everyday life to address the theme of prostitution in a direct and unadulterated way.

The highly polemical street scene explores the idea of 'love for sale' – a theme that has been interpreted by artists
over many centuries. Near to the evocative installation, a selection of 17th-century Dutch paintings from the National
Gallery's own collection will be displayed to create a historic perspective. These will include Jan Steen's Interior of an Inn, Godfried Schalcken's A Man Offering Gold and Coins to a Girl and Pieter de Hooch's A Musical Party in a Courtyard.

Supported by Outset Contemporary Art Fund

For information, please contact 020 7747 2885 or
The National Gallery
Trafalgar Square
London
WC2N 5DN
National Gallery Kienholz Page

Dates and opening hours
18 November 2009 – 21 February 2010
Daily 10am–6pm, Friday until 9pm
Last admission 5.15pm (8.15pm Friday)

Admission Free

Catalogue
The Hoerengracht: Kienholz at the National Gallery
By Colin Wiggins and Annemarie De Wildt

This catalogue explains how The Hoerengracht resonates powerfully with paintings by Dutch masters of the
17th century, widely represented in the National Gallery Collection. Readers are also introduced to the Kienholzes,
an innovative and controversial artistic partnership who have influenced contemporary artists. The authors also
consider The Hoerengracht's memorable place in Amsterdam's colourful history.

The Royal Academy of Arts hosts a landmark exhibition of the work of Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. It will start on January the 23rd through the 18th of April 2010.
Read More...

From 17th February till 27th of March the exhibition "Clown Faces" by Dutch artist Albert Houthuesen is open for public.
His works can be seen in the Da Scalzo Art Brasserie in Knightsbridge.

Da Scalzo Art Brasserie
Knightsbridge
215 Brompton Rd, London SW3 2EJ

More info..

After Rome and Paris, Cappella Neerlandica are heading for Britain.
In February this vocal ensemble will be on tour in East Anglia with concerts in Norwich Cathedral, St Mary the Great Cambridge University Church and in the charming little church of Offton in Suffolk.

Cappella Neerlandica was founded by Harm Jansen in 2005.
The make-up of the ensemble depends on the occasion and programme. The singers feature as part of the ensemble as well as soloists, so the music, which mainly originates from medieval scores, is performed as richly in character as possible.
Cappella Neerlandica go back to the original source of music which they execute with accuracy and enthusiasm. Ancient texts are the inspiration for beautiful musical poetry allowing the ensemble to perform this in a subtle and creative way.

Cappella Neerlandica was noted for some remarkable concerts featuring themes such as St Mary, Dance, Liberation and Chanson. Apart from Gregorian Chant, works by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck and Claude Lejeune are also being performed. Besides a number of concerts and radio recordings, the "Lagrime di San Pietro" by Orlando di Lasso was performed six times in various European countries, during which a CD was recorded.

The singers Daniël Elgersma, Klaas Lijklema, Jacob Schenk, Theo Menting, Jan Kruisselbrink, Maarten van Bentum en Mathijs Kraan have been hand-picked for the tour in East Anglia. They are formidable musicians in their own right. Their conductor, Harm Jansen, was appointed Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau by Queen Beatrix in 2006 for Services to Music.

CONCERTS:

* 19 February - 13.30 hrs - Norwich Cathedral
* 20 February - 13.30 hrs - Gt St Mary Cambridge University Church
* 21 February - 17.00 hrs - Offton Church IP8 4RP


A programme of ancient passion music has been chosen for the concerts in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, a little performed French composition and a more familiar English work.

* Messe de Notre Dame by Guillaume de Machaut
* Lamentations of Jeremiah by Thomas Tallis


The concerts in Norwich and Cambridge are free with a retiring collection.
The concert in Offton is by candlelight and includes festive refreshments.
Tickets £12.50 via Magical Music Moments
Cappella Neerlandica

All museums have stories to tell and the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York is no exception. Between 10 February and 6 September 2010 there will be even more tales to tell when a new exhibition brings the romance and excitement of international travel to the Museum.

Once Upon a Tide is a free exhibition sponsored by Stena Line BV, in partnership with the Spoorwegmuseum in Utrecht.

Read more...

The Queen's Gallery in Edinburgh will host the exhibition Dutch Landscapes in April. Around 42 works can be seen from Dutch artists including Aelbert Cuyp, Jan van der Heyden and Meyndert Hobbema.

More info...