Exhibition ‘The Weight of Existence’

On the occasion of Alan Land’s 40th anniversary with the Dutch National Ballet.

On September 11th at 4 pm is the grand opening by Ted Brandsen artistic director of the National Ballet.

Alan Land danced as first soloist with the Dutch National Ballet and later became ballet master. Besides teaching at renowned dance companies worldwide, he has always been active as a visual artist in his spare time.

Alan Land’s intense collaboration as a dancer with choreographers such as Hans van Manen, Toer van Schayk and Rudi van Dantzig has undeniably been decisive for his artistic development and in particular for his commitment as a person and visual artist. Rudi van Dantzig in particular impressed Alan with his commitment to humanity and the fate of our planet. Two universal themes that are present on all fronts in Alan Land’s work. Highly specific works of art, provocatively experimental due to their balance and imbalance, but above all visually strong due to their emotional charge and multiform sensuality.

Land’s early admiration for Edward Hopper, Caravaggio and Toer van Schayk, among others, is reflected in the depressed atmosphere, exaggerated emotionality and cut-out compositions.

Some time ago, a special meeting took place between Alan Land and art historian Rudi Fuchs. What Fuchs noticed then; pure, authentic and beautiful due to the concentrated representation of reality and wobbly lines. Not just lines, but lines like moving bodies in a limited spatiality as a reflection of memories.

In the short film “Langzaam beven tot het lichaam gestalte wordt “ (Slowly trembling until the body takes shape) Rudi Fuchs reviews the work of Alan Land in his own very precise way.

The film will be shown for the first time during the opening of the exhibition.

On view from September 8th to September 26th at Galerie Beeldend Gesproken and at the Passage of De Hallen Amsterdam.