Sonsbeek ’86
2 July – 29 August 1986, Park Sonsbeek and other locations, Arnhem
Inleiding
Fifteen years after the much-discussed 1971 edition, Sonsbeek returned with a new exhibition: Sonsbeek ’86. In contrast to the radical, international experiments of Buiten de Perken (Out of Bounds), this edition was smaller and less daring, with a clear focus on the artwork itself. About half of the sculptures were created specifically for the exhibition and displayed in Park Sonsbeek, while the other half were presented at the Gemeentemuseum Arnhem (now Museum Arnhem). Artistic director Saskia Bos, who was also the director of the prominent contemporary art institution De Appel, oversaw the selection of works.
Many contemporary artworks in 1986 were not suitable for direct placement in nature. For this reason, Bos designed three glass pavilions, reminiscent of greenhouses. Inside these pavilions, the artworks were presented in a well-lit and organized manner, allowing their unique materials and surfaces to stand out. Bos stated that contemporary art “does not adapt to nature, let alone merge with it.”
This presentation somewhat isolated the artworks from the park, directing attention primarily to form and material. At the same time, sculptures were also displayed outdoors in the park, allowing visitors to experience the contrast between delicate, refined “museum art” and robust “outdoor art.”
Sonsbeek ’86 thus showcased the wide diversity of 1980s sculpture and offered a restrained yet carefully curated overview of contemporary artistic practice.
Artists
- Siah Armajani
- Richard Artschwager
- Michael Asher
- Marco Bagnoli
- Bazilebustamant
- Joseph Beuys
- Marcel Broodthaers
- James Casebere
- John Chamberlain
- Tony Cragg
- Richard Deacon
- Jiří Georg Dokoupil
- Lili Dujourie
- Ger van Elk
- Luciano Fabro
- Weiss/Fischli
- Barry Flanagan
- O’Brien/Fortuyn
- Katherina Fritsch
- Dan Graham
- Jenny Holzer
- Rebecca Horn
- Shirazeh Houshiary
- Anish Kapoor
- Niek Kemps
- Harald Klingelhöller
- Bertrand Lavier
- Mario Merz
- Marisa Merz
- Reinhard Mucha
- Hidetoshi Nagasawa
- Bruce Nauman
- Claes Oldenburg
- Tom Otterness
- Panamarenko
- Guilio Paolini
- Giuseppe Penone
- Thomas Schütte
- Jeroen Snijders
- Ettore Spalletti
- Rosemarie Trockel
- Peer Veneman
- Jan Vercruysse
- Henk Visch
- Carel Visser
- Isolde Wawrin
- Franz West
- Heimo Zobernig
Locations
- Park Sonsbeek
- Stadsvilla (Park Sonsbeek)
- Museum Arnhem
Facts and figures
48 artists · 45 artworks · 3 glass pavilions designed by Benthem Crouwel architects and Wiek Röling · 78,000 paying visitors
Publication
— Catalog · Sonsbeek ’86 (two parts), 1986 · Design: Anton Beeke · Publisher: Veen-Reflex
