Marga van Mechelen

When is an artist an epigone, and when a follower? The distinction matters, because the former term carries an unfavorable connotation and is likely to be taken as an insult by the artist concerned. According to the conventional definition, an epigone is a follower who lacks originality and copies the ideas of others. But over…… Read more

In De Groene Amsterdammer of early July, music critic Bas van Putten looks back on the Holland Festival by asking: Did this edition of the Holland Festival once again succeed in staying ahead of its time? The question implies that a festival with one of the Netherlands’ most illustrious histories has a mission—one in which…… Read more

Once every few years, a new art museum is conceived in the Netherlands. Not every conception, however, leads to birth. More often than not, they revolve around the collections of private collectors, deemed museum-worthy—at least by their owners. One notable failure was the museum intended to house the Scheringa Collection. The 10,000-square-metre building, designed by…… Read more