Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

The Marc Chagall Research Project (2014–2019)

The Stedelijk’s conservation department, with the support of BankGiro Lottery and Royal De Heus, has spent years researching the materials and techniques used by Marc Chagall in the paintings found in the museum’s collection. Remarkably enough, such an extensive study has never been undertaken previously in the world. The Stedelijk’s globally-acclaimed collection of 40 Chagall works includes nine iconic paintings – six of which belong to the museum, while three are on extended loan from the state. Having been created over 35 years, the paintings cover a large portion of Chagall’s working life and are therefore representational enough for research into (the development of) his techniques. The study focuses on the condition of the works and Chagall’s use of techniques and materials – with the goal of better understanding his intentions, way of working and the motivations behind the choices he made. In this video, conservators reveal some of the more interesting discoveries they made during their years of research. More info about this research project.

Producer & director: Xena Maria Evers
Camera: Dionne Cats, Melissa Opti & Xena Maria Evers
Edit: Erik Post
Translation: Heads up productions

In 2017, the Stedelijk Museum presents the first survey of the American artist Seth Price. Seth Price holds a unique place in contemporary art. His innovations, interests and themes have been widely influential on his own generation and younger artists, due partly to his approach to digital manipulation and cultural flux, in which a deep kinship with technology meets skepticism towards these advances.

Production: Xena Maria Evers & Margita van Vugt
Interview & research: Xena Maria Evers
Camera: Robijn Voshol
Sound: Xena Maria Evers
Editing: Erik Post
Grading: Nicolay Lima

The Swiss artist Jean Tinguely (1925-1991) is known for his playful, tough machine art and explosive performances. This experimental artist brought the art literally in motion and called himself “sculptor of useless machines”. Precisely twenty-five years after his death, the Stedelijk opens a Tinguely retrospective: the largest-ever exhibition of the artist to be mounted in a Dutch museum.

To restore the ingenious and often complex machines is not easy. To get the artwork working again as the artist had intended, is an interesting challenge because of the runout of the material. In this video Head of Collections, Bart Rutten discusses the complex restoration process of the Tinguely’s and the dilemmas associated with it.

Production: Xena Maria Evers & Stefanie Metsemakers
Interview & research: Xena Maria Evers & Saskia du Bois
Camera: Marc Slings & Xena Maria Evers
Sound: Jaap Sijben
Editing: Erik Post & Xena Maria Evers