The Groninger Museum has another exciting programme in store for the new year. Anticipation is high for next December’s Gianni Versace Retrospective, sure to pull in the international crowds. But first, there’s still plenty of time to catch two much-praised exhibitions, the Children’s Bienniale and JR: Chronicles. Groningen itself will be a recurring exhibition theme in 2022. Stad houdt Stand and Black in Groningen will illuminate specific aspects of the city’s and province’s history and colonial past. And emerging local talent Marit Westerhuis will present her first exhibition, MEGALITH, in the Coop Himmelb(l)au Pavilion.
NEW IN 2022
Bittersweet Legacy: Black in Groningen
19 February through 11 September 2022
In the 17th and 18th centuries, rich and powerful people living in and around Groningen were heavily involved in slavery overseas. Some members of prominent families commissioned portraits in which they were portrayed with Black servants. This exhibition will feature historical paintings and sculptures made in Groningen that depict people of colour. The works bear witness to local involvement in the history of slavery. The artist Faisel Saro and the writer Vamba Sherif will contribute their responses to the images. Objects in the permanent collection with links to colonial history will also be highlighted.
Marit Westerhuis: MEGALITH
9 April through October 2022
In the large solo exhibition MEGALITH, Marit Westerhuis interrogates the relationship between human beings, myth and nature. A vast postapocalyptic landscape will dominate the Coop Himmelb(l)au Pavilion. How can people find meaning in the world when they are threatened with extinction? In light of the climate crisis, this question is more relevant now than ever. Westerhuis conjures up a world in which people return to centuries-old rituals and seek comfort in mythological tales. Her exhibition is the culmination of the third Young Grunn Artist talent development programme. Set up by NP3 in partnership with the Groninger Museum, the scheme provides a platform for emerging local talent.
The 350th Anniversary of the Relief of Groningen
23 April through 25 September 2022
1672 was a disastrous year for the Netherlands. The country endured attack from all sides – from the sea by England, from the south by France, and from the east by the German bishops of Münster and Cologne, including the famous “Bombing Berend”. Before long, most of the Netherlands was in enemy hands. Groningen was bombed for weeks, but it held out, and the Germans withdrew on 27 August. The city’s preservation proved a turning point in that terrible year. The Relief of Groningen is still commemorated every 28 August. This exhibition includes paintings, objects, documents and even cannons from that heroic battle.
Gianni Versace Retrospective
2 December 2022 through 7 May 2023
One of the most influential couturiers ever will come to life at the Groninger Museum in Gianni Versace Retrospective. This colourful, daring, emotional exhibition will take visitors inside the eccentric Italian fashion designer’s world of extravagant garments and lavish catwalk shows in which clothing, pop music and design come spectacularly together. Gianni Versace was murdered 25 years ago, but his revolutionary spirit lives on in the fashion of today.
World-class works by Chihuly and Werkman
As always, a selection of artworks from the museum’s permanent collection will be on view throughout 2022, including magnificent portraits of prominent Groningers, glittering silver treasures, and numerous paintings by the artists of De Ploeg. Last but not least, visitors can enjoy two world-class works, the Werkman cabinet and Dale Chihuly’s Grand Stairwell Installation.