Project 2.0
'Art is allowed to wriggle a bit'
DATE
28 March 2020
TEXT
Annerieke Simeone
IMAGE
Kim Vermaat
Coen van den Oever of Project 2.0 is one of the key players in the Hague art field. Most of the artists exhibiting here often have 'an edgy side'.
Coen van den Oever has occasional discussions about it. When is an artist ripe for Project 2.0? The owner of the modern art gallery on Noordeinde, having just spent an hour walking with dog Pier and now sitting behind a cup of tea, raises his eyebrows thoughtfully. Then: "Some artists think it's all about quantity. If they sell a lot then they think Project 2.0 is logically the next step. But it's not that simple."
'Englishmen are a bit confused by brexit'
He looks into the white, long room where work by Robbert Fortgens is currently hanging. That is one of the first artists with whom Van den Oever started a collaboration when he opened this gallery 12 years ago. "Robbert was recommended to me at the time by another artist. He is always innovative, which I like. What I also pay attention to and what we ourselves take care of are someone's achievements. Have articles been written about someone and by whom? Which museums has the artist hung in? What fairs has he or she been at?"
Project 2.0
Especially the latter is important for the level of your gallery, says Van den Oever, who for that reason opened Project 2.0, within walking distance of the king's working palace. He also owns Galerie Den Haag, Kunstuitleen Den Haag, De Lijstmakerij Den Haag and a private showroom including screen printing and there is an artist in residence.
Paris Photo
In short, Coen van den Oever is one of the key players in the Hague art field. He helped artists like Denis Rouvre, Kourtney Roy, Danielle van Zadelhoff and Sacha Goldberger get even better at important international fairs like Paris Photo, Art Keuken and Photo London. "Paris Photo was very successful and also at the last fair in London, I sold a lot to enthusiasts. To Europeans, not to Englishmen." With a grey: "They are a bit confused by the brexit."
'Barbra Streisand is a beautiful woman, but that nose only makes her interesting to look at'
If you bring Van den Oever into your home, then sometimes your whole room is redecorated. "Yes, that is sometimes necessary, such a purchase is a very conscious choice. You look at it your whole life if it's good, then it should also get the attention it deserves." The works coming out of Project 2.0 are not necessarily beautiful, he says. "Perhaps precisely not. A beautiful woman quickly becomes a fashion picture. It's okay to have a sharp edge."
Interesting to watch
As an example, he gives Barbra Streisand. "Beautiful woman, but that nose only makes her interesting to look at. It's the same with art. Danielle Zadelhoff takes very classic, rembrandtian photos. Yet you always see a pimple or stretch mark somewhere. Art is allowed to be a bit edgy. Most artists of Project 2.0 have that edgy side."
text Annerieke Simeone / image Kim Vermaat
Coen van den Oever of Project 2.0 is one of the key players in the Hague art field. Most of the artists exhibiting here often have 'an edgy side'.
Coen van den Oever has occasional discussions about it. When is an artist ripe for Project 2.0? The owner of the modern art gallery on Noordeinde, having just spent an hour walking with dog Pier and now sitting behind a cup of tea, raises his eyebrows thoughtfully. Then: "Some artists think it's all about quantity. If they sell a lot then they think Project 2.0 is logically the next step. But it's not that simple."
'Englishmen are a bit confused by brexit'
He looks into the white, long room where work by Robbert Fortgens is currently hanging. That is one of the first artists with whom Van den Oever started a collaboration when he opened this gallery 12 years ago. "Robbert was recommended to me at the time by another artist. He is always innovative, which I like. What I also pay attention to and what we ourselves take care of are someone's achievements. Have articles been written about someone and by whom? Which museums has the artist hung in? What fairs has he or she been at?"
Project 2.0
Especially the latter is important for the level of your gallery, says Van den Oever, who for that reason opened Project 2.0, within walking distance of the king's working palace. He also owns Galerie Den Haag, Kunstuitleen Den Haag, De Lijstmakerij Den Haag and a private showroom including screen printing and there is an artist in residence.
Paris Photo
In short, Coen van den Oever is one of the key players in the Hague art field. He helped artists like Denis Rouvre, Kourtney Roy, Danielle van Zadelhoff and Sacha Goldberger get even better at important international fairs like Paris Photo, Art Keuken and Photo London. "Paris Photo was very successful and also at the last fair in London, I sold a lot to enthusiasts. To Europeans, not to Englishmen." With a grey: "They are a bit confused by the brexit."
'Barbra Streisand is a beautiful woman, but that nose only makes her interesting to look at'
If you bring Van den Oever into your home, then sometimes your whole room is redecorated. "Yes, that is sometimes necessary, such a purchase is a very conscious choice. You look at it your whole life if it's good, then it should also get the attention it deserves." The works coming out of Project 2.0 are not necessarily beautiful, he says. "Perhaps precisely not. A beautiful woman quickly becomes a fashion picture. It's okay to have a sharp edge."
Interesting to watch
As an example, he gives Barbra Streisand. "Beautiful woman, but that nose only makes her interesting to look at. It's the same with art. Danielle Zadelhoff takes very classic, rembrandtian photos. Yet you always see a pimple or stretch mark somewhere. Art is allowed to be a bit edgy. Most artists of Project 2.0 have that edgy side."
