The exhibition Untold Talent: Women of the Amsterdam School has opened at Museum Het Schip in Amsterdam. With a diverse range of works, this expressive, colourful exhibition focuses on the underexposed work and lives of female artists from the interwar period within this art and architecture movement.
The exhibition Untold Talent, designed by costume and set designer Tatyana van Walsum, appeals to all the senses with a variety of objects. From furniture and textiles to graphic work, architecture, masks, jewellery and ceramics. Personal stories come to life with photographs, videos, diaries and letters. Through their work, you will learn about the period in which these women worked, the interwar period (1918-1939). A time when emancipation and ideals clashed with more conservative views on society.
Margaret Kropholler (1891-1966), the first female architect in the Netherlands, was a true pioneer. She came up with the idea of combining homes, shops and recreation in one building, which made Le Corbusier world famous forty years later with his Unité d’Habitation. Tine Baanders (1890-1971) was one of the few female graphic artists at the time. Louise Beijerman (1883-1970) chose to do heavy physical work as a sculptor, which was considered unsuitable for women, and thus went against the grain. These three women are the focus of the exhibition, but work by graphic artist Fré Cohen, pattern designer Marie Kuyken, ceramist Lea Halpern, painter Else Berg and textile artist Agathe Wegerif-Gravestein, among others, is also on display. Attention is also paid to women who worked in studios. Despite their artistic influence on the final result, their work was often signed exclusively by a man. In this way, the exhibition shows the layers of craftsmanship and shines a light on women who never received recognition for their work.
Five women who are currently active in art and architecture – Talisa Harjono, Liesbeth van der Pol, Arna Mackic, Lorien Beijaert and Cristina Flores Pescorán – talk in video portraits about how the stories and themes of the exhibition relate to their own (contemporary) experiences.
Margaret Kropholler (1891-1966), the first female architect in the Netherlands, faced many prejudices. For example, women were considered unsuitable for managing a construction site. However, she excelled in this field to such an extent that she was put in charge of the construction site at the 1925 World Exhibition in Paris. Kropholler was a true pioneer. She came up with the idea of combining housing, shops and recreation in a single building, which made Le Corbusier world famous forty years later with his Unité d’Habitation. The exhibition brings her innovative vision to life with impressive architectural drawings, photographs, furniture and notebooks full of progressive ideas.
Graphic artist Tine Baanders (1890-1971) found freedom in the vibrant artistic milieu and the travels she undertook with her girlfriend. She constantly reinvented herself and mastered various styles. She was one of the few female graphic artists and was responsible not only for the design but also for the illustrations in publications. For example, she created four covers for the Amsterdam School magazine Wendingen. These can be seen in the exhibition, together with posters, book covers, certificates and other graphic material.
Louise Beijerman (1883-1970) consciously chose to be a sculptor. This physically demanding work had long been considered unsuitable for women. In doing so, she went against the grain. She created work for prominent Amsterdam School artists such as Michel de Klerk and Piet Kramer. Beijerman has been almost entirely written out of history. The exhibition puts her back in the spotlight with portrait heads, autonomous work, sketchbooks and the Wendingen cover she designed upon De Klerk’s death.
Untold Talent: Women of the Amsterdam School
Museum Het Schip, Amsterdam
26 September, 2025 – 28 June, 2026
hetschip.nl
Photography exhibition: Marcel Westhoff
