Sonsbeek ’66: Fifth international sculpture exhibition
27 May – 25 September 1966, Park Sonsbeek, Arnhem
Inleiding
The fifth edition of Sonsbeek in 1966 marked a clear break with previous exhibitions. For the first time, the selection of artworks was not made by a jury of sculptors, but by a working committee of artists and professionals from art institutions. Sonsbeek aimed to distinguish itself from international events such as the Venice Biennale and to provide a current overview of the latest developments in sculpture.
The 1960s were a period of change: new movements such as Pop Art, Neo-Dada, and Zero sought to bring art closer to everyday life and out of its “elevated isolation,” as art historian Hans Jaffé described in the catalog.
Sonsbeek ’66 focused on a younger generation of artists experimenting with new materials and techniques. Traditional materials like bronze and stone gave way to iron, steel, plexiglass, plastic, and aluminum. Many sculptures were abstract or geometric and placed directly on the ground without a pedestal, allowing visitors to experience the art up close.
One of the highlights of this edition was the pavilion by architect Aldo van Eyck. Van Eyck believed that art belonged primarily in the city rather than in nature. He designed an enclosed space with six parallel walls, reminiscent of a small city with streets and squares. Sculptures were placed on these squares, along with seating for visitors, creating direct interaction between art and the public. In 2006, the pavilion was reconstructed at the Kröller-Müller Museum as a lasting testament to this innovative approach to art and space.
Artists
- Henri George Adam
- Robert Adams
- Hans Aerschbacher
- Mari Andriessen
- David Annesley
- Kenneth Armitage
- Jean Arp
- Joannis Avramidis
- Kiek Bak
- Marius van Beek
- Rudolf Belling
- Raffael Benazzi
- Miguel Berrocal
- Max Bill
- Hendrik Boekenoogen
- Michael Bolus
- Antoine Bourdelle
- Constantin Brancusi
- Will Brüll
- Alexander Calder
- Christos Capralos
- Fred Carasso
- Anthony Caro
- Andrea Cascella
- Baldaccini César
- Lynn Chadwick
- Riccardo Cordero
- Wessel Couzijn
- Pearl Couzijn-Perlmuter
- Joseph Csaky
- Hubert Dalwood
- Eugène Dodeigne
- Raymond Duchamp-Villon
- Max Ernst
- Vincent P.S. Esser
- Etienne Martin
- Lucio Fontana
- Lotti van der Gaag
- Pablo Gargallo
- Henri Gaudier Brzeska
- Alberto Giacometti
- Julio González
- John Grosman
- Ben Guntenaar
- Reinhout D’Haese
- Roel D’Haese
- Etienne Hadju
- David Hall
- Erich Hauser
- Fri Heil
- Dame Barbara Hepworth
- Auke Hettema
- Jochen Hiltmann
- Rudolf Hoflehner
- Pieter D’Hont
- Cor Hund
- Jean Ipoustéguy
- Robert Jacobsen
- Adam Jansma
- Herman Janzen
- Gooitzen de Jong
- Nic Jonk
- Jacques Jutte
- Piet Killaars
- Phillip King
- Carel Kneulman
- Norbert Kricke
- Hildo Krop
- G. A. J. de Laaf
- Berto Lardera
- Henri Laurens
- Titus Leeser
- Wilhelm Lehmbruck
- Jacques Lipchitz
- Hubert van Lith
- Nel van Lith
- Bernard Luginbühl
- Aristide Maillol
- Charles Malfray
- Marino Marini
- Umberto Mastroianni
- Roberto Matta
- Bernard Meadows
- Jan P. W. Meefout
- Luciano Minguzzi
- Arie Molendijk
- Henry Moore
- Jaap Mooy
- Robert Müller
- Jan van Munster
- Mario Negri
- Theo Niermeyer
- Constant Nieuwenhuys
- Isamu Noguchi
- Baronesse Charlotte D. van Pallandt
- Marta Pan
- Theresia R. van der Pant
- Eduardo Paolozzi
- Karl I. Pelgrom
- Alicia Penalba
- Antoine Pevsner
- Pablo Picasso
- Ian Pieters
- Arnaldo Pomodoro
- Willem Reyers
- Germaine Richier
- George Rickey
- Günther Ris
- Auguste Rodin
- Cornelius Rogge
- Tim Scott
- Renée Sintenis
- Piet Slegers
- Francesco Somaini
- L. H. Sondaar
- Arthur Spronken
- François Stahly
- Hans Steinbrenner
- Piet van Stuyvenberg
- Shinkichi Tajiri
- William Tucker
- William Turnbull
- Arthur Varela
- Gerrit Veenhuizen
- Hans Verhulst
- Mary Vieira
- Claude Viseux
- Carel Visser
- André Volten
- Erwin de Vries
- Leo de Vries
- Ludwig Oswald Wenkebach
- Johannes Gustaaf Wertheim
- Han Wezelaar
- Isaac Witkin
- Jos Wong Lun Hing
- Derrick Woodham
- Fritz Wotruba
- Rik Wouters
- Hans Ydo
- Ossip Zadkine
- Jack Zajac
- Johan van Zweden
- Henk J.M. Zweerus
Location
- Park Sonsbeek
Facts and figures
267 artworks · 149 artists · 86,662 visitors
Publication
— Catalog · Sonsbeek ’66, 1966 · Design: Paul Schulz · Published: Vada, Wageningen
