To mark its 10th anniversary this September, Voorlinden is presenting an exceptional and celebratory exhibition: Celebrating the Icons of Art. Contemporary icons from the museum’s collection are presented alongside masterpieces of 20th-century art. In this encounter, familiar works take on unexpected new meanings and surprising connections emerge. For the first time in its history, the entire museum will be transformed for this special anniversary exhibition.
12 September 2026 - 7 March 2027
Some works of art stay with you forever. They are etched into your memory, never cease to surprise, move and inspire, and even take root in the collective memory. In Celebrating the Icons of Art, these kinds of 20th-century masterpieces are brought together with contemporary highlights from the Voorlinden collection. In the exhibition, you’ll discover how artists build on the work of those who came before them, how ideas travel through time and take on new forms time and again. Art history thus emerges not as a fixed narrative, but as a vibrant exchange between past and present, a network of influences, references and new insights.
Suzanne Swarts: ‘Celebrating the Icons of Art will be a celebration of both recognition and surprise. By presenting these works side by side, entirely new stories emerge.’
Voorlinden, gallery view Celebrating the Icons of Art passage. Ron Mueck, Boy, 1999, ARoS Collection, c/o Pictoright Amsterdam, 2026 | photo: © Antoine van Kaam
Festive encounter
Sometimes you immediately see a connection in Celebrating the Icons of Art in form, colour or idea. Sometimes the link seems less obvious. But in every encounter, something special happens: the artworks speak to one another, reveal unexpected facets and take on new meaning. What emerges is a festive encounter between past and present: a celebration of iconic art and of ten years of Voorlinden.
The exhibition features works by, among others, Francis Bacon, Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Nick Cave, Félix González-Torres, Damien Hirst, David Hockney, Martha Jungwirth, Mike Kelley, Yayoi Kusama, Fernand Léger, Roy Lichtenstein, Henri Matisse, Annette Messager, Joan Miró, Claude Monet, Bruce Nauman, Louise Nevelson, Lygia Pape, Gerhard Richter and Bridget Riley.
Director Suzanne Swarts: ‘This exhibition is about the enduring and unforgettable power of art — works that become lodged in your memory, that you cannot let go of, and that together help to write art history.’
Cherished Works of Art
With Celebrating the Icons of Art, Voorlinden not only reflects on ten remarkable years but also looks ahead to the future. The exhibition brings together much-loved contemporary works from the Voorlinden collection and twentieth-century masterpieces on loan from the collections of partner museums and institutions. These are works that have shaped our visual memory and inspired generations of artists and audiences.
The exhibition is made to mark Voorlinden’s 10th anniversary. It demonstrates how works from Voorlinden’s own collection have, within a relatively short period, acquired iconic status. These are artworks that hold a special place in the hearts of countless visitors and have become inseparable from the museum’s identity.
Roy Lichtenstein, M-Maybe (A Girl’s Picture), 1965, Museum Ludwig Köln | photo: © Historische Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv
Header: Martin Creed, Work No. 1562, 2026, Juan Carlos & proyectoamil, c/o Pictoright Amsterdam, 2026 | Photo: Peter Hamelinck