Press
Amsterdam Art Across the Atlantic:
A Tribute to New Amsterdam and 250 Years of the United States
Amsterdam celebrates history, art, and transatlantic connections with the art project Amsterdam Art Across The Atlantic, an exceptional and carefully crafted art book. Commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States and honoring historic New Amsterdam, this project unites the collections of leading Amsterdam museums, creating a cultural bridge between two iconic cities.
The art book, a visual and intellectual masterpiece, is designed by Edwin van Gelder in close collaboration with author Frans van der Beek as project leader and book director Eugène Dumoulin. Far more than documentation, the book is a prestigious object in itself, showcasing masterpieces and contemporary works while presenting Amsterdam’s rich artistic heritage in an international context.
The exhibition is curated by Louky Scholten Hollestelle and Pola Handziewicz, ensuring a thoughtfully curated dialogue between past and present.
The advisory committee, composed of distinguished curators and cultural ambassadors, emphasizes: “Amsterdam and New York have been connected for centuries. This project offers a unique opportunity to celebrate, deepen, and showcase that connection to the world.”
Amsterdam Art Across the Atlantic promises an unforgettable cultural experience—both in the exhibition and in the carefully crafted art book. A must-see and a must-have for anyone passionate about art, history, and international collaboration.
Amsterdam Art Across the Atlantic
When Design, Vision, and Cultural Authority Converge
There is a widely held belief in the international cultural world that truly significant publications are never defined by a single attribute. Their enduring value emerges when vision, design, and institutional relevance become inseparable.
This principle was articulated during an intimate dinner following a museum gala in New York, where an internationally respected museum director was introduced to the early concept of Amsterdam Art Across the Atlantic. After carefully reviewing the visual narrative and editorial vision of the project, he offered an observation that would become a guiding philosophy for the publication.
“The mistake many cultural publications make is believing that prestige alone creates significance. It doesn’t. Significance emerges when an exceptional idea, extraordinary design, and institutional authority reinforce one another so completely that they become inseparable.”
After a moment of reflection, he continued:
“What makes this project compelling is not that it is about Amsterdam, nor that it involves important museums, nor even that it is beautifully designed. It is that all three elements depend on each other. Remove one, and you have a book. Keep all three, and you have a cultural object.”
This observation captures the essence of Amsterdam Art Across the Atlantic.
The project is founded upon a unique convergence of three defining elements: a visionary transatlantic concept exploring the artistic and cultural dialogue between Amsterdam and New York; a sophisticated design language developed to elevate the publication beyond conventional publishing; and the participation of Amsterdam’s leading museums and cultural institutions, whose collections and histories have shaped global artistic discourse for centuries.
Together, these elements transform Amsterdam Art Across the Atlantic into more than a publication. It becomes a collectible cultural object, a scholarly resource, and a lasting statement on artistic exchange, cultural identity, and the enduring relationship between two of the world’s most influential cultural capitals.
In an era increasingly dominated by digital experiences, Amsterdam Art Across the Atlantic reaffirms the power of the printed object: not merely to document history, but to embody it.