Publication

PROJECT 23 COLLECTING COLLECTION

Personal Reflection

Works and Stories from the Agnes & Frits Becht Collection

Artists: Hubert Bekman, Jan Dibbets, Marlene Dumas, Ger van Elk, Lucio Fontana, Kees de Goede, Jann Haworth, Berend Hoekstra, Natasja Kensmil, Tetsumi Kudo, Mimmo Rotella, Wim T. Schippers, Co Westerik

03-09-22 > 06-11-22

“We have no historic or scientific claim. Collecting is to some extent a selfish activity. You want to have the works around you, and you feel that the collection is a reflection of yourself.” – A. & F. Becht (1988)

From the 60s to the 90s, my grandparents Agnes and Frits Becht collected works from Dutch and international artists, witnessing amongst others the development of Nouveau Réalisme, Pop Art, and Italian Conceptual Minimalism. Their collection tells the story of what they loved, the adventures they lived, the people they met, and the relationships they built along the way. In this exhibition, I combined artworks, objects, archival documents, and anecdotes. Works are accompanied by personal stories to give visitors a glimpse into the life of a couple who lived surrounded by art. My hope is that, walking through PARTS Project, visitors will sense the passion for beauty, the curiosity, and the friendships that the Becht Collection was built on.

The title of the exhibition, Personal Reflection, is twofold. It refers to the fact that the Becht Collection is a reflection of the lives and personalities of the collector couple Agnes and Frits, but it also alludes to the curatorial approach. As the granddaughter of the collectors and the curator of this exhibition, I have a special connection to the artworks and the stories included in the show. Working on this project has given me the opportunity to dive deeper into my family history, to document my grandmother’s memories, and to learn more about my grandfather, who passed away when I was seven years old. In this way, Personal Reflection refers to my research process and subjective contribution, as I unfold fragments of my family history to the audience.

Eline Becht