H'ART Museum celebrates Amsterdam's 750th anniversary with an exhibition

The H'ART Museum is going to showcase an exhibit celebrating Ajax as a city of art in honor of its 750th anniversary. Dozens of works can be seen in “Happy Birthday Amsterdam” from Wednesday, with 75 artists showcased, including Ferdinand Bol, Piet Mondriaan, Karel Appel, George Hendrik Breitner, Ed van der Elsken, RIneke Dijkstra, Marlene Dumas, and Marina Abramovic.

The works are a diverse collection of paintings, photographs, and sounds but will also include sculptures, textiles, and Amsterdam design, in which the artists show their view of Amsterdam.

"From a romantic Magere Brug by the young Karel Appel to the legendary (and now past) nightlife through the lens of Erwin Olaf," according to the museum, which states that the exhibition shows a "versatile city, on the one hand, well-behaved and orderly, but also raw, rough and free.”

The works have come from the collection of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE). Cooperation also took place with the Amsterdam City Archive, the ABN Amro art collection, and private collections.

One of the main pieces is “De Dam te Amsterdam bij avond” by Kees Mak (1876-1967). "The born Amsterdammer was seen as very progressive in his time. He regularly traveled to Paris but also painted typical Amsterdam scenes, including this painting of Dam Square," the museum said.

“Happy Birthday Amsterdam” can be seen up to Sunday, March 16, 2025.