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Nan Hoover February 7th, 2009
Lightscapes February 7th - June 7th 2009
Work from Nan Hoover, the America-Dutch artist, internationally known for her video work, will be shown in the museum from February 7th to June 7th 2009. The exhibition includes her videos, video stills, photographs, drawings, light boxes and an installation.
Nan Hoover: life and work
Nan Hoover was born in 1931 in New York. As an only child she grew up in her grandparent's home on Long Island, a house where art and politics reigned. She easily filled her time by observing, listening, drawing and dancing. When she was 11 years old, Nan Hoover made the decision to use her talent for her future: she later became a visual artist.
After attending the Corcoran Gallery School of Art in Washington DC, Nan Hoover's career as a painter began. She emigrated to the Netherlands in 1969 and there, for the first time, she got a video camera in her hands. She was lyrical about the possibilities this medium offered. For the first time she was able to work with real light instead of suggested light provided by paint on a canvas. Her video work soon attracted international interest.
In 1986 Nan Hoover put the video camera aside. She concentrated on drawing. By taking an obvious step back with regard to technical aspects, she forces the viewer to critically re-evaluate the apparently iron-strong logic of a development path. Instead of using the video camera as a pencil, as stated in the 70's, Nan Hoover turns it around and uses the pencil as a video camera as it were.
In 2003 Nan Hoover moved from Amsterdam to Berlin. In the Spring of 2008 she became ill but that had little influence on her work passion. She herself declares being curious about the possibilities in her work now that the borderlines were so drastically changed. Her charcoal drawings, made during her last months, are intense and emotional. Nan Hoover died on June 9th 2008.
Exhibition information
Various forms of information are available during the exhibition. For adult visitors information booklets are provided. On some Sundays, introductory and guided tours are given: contact the website for dates and times. These guided tours are intended for individual vistors. Group tours can be organised by appointment. Make reservations via telephone number (040) 2755183
Work books are available for children / students. These can be used individually or as class material. In preparation for school visits, information can be foud on the website and material can be downloaded. School visits must be organised and registered beforehand via telephone number (040) 2755183
Exhibition realisation
The exhibition was made possible in co-operation with the Dutch Institute for Media Art Montevideo / Time Based Arts (Amsterdam) and Gallery Fath / Contemporary (Mannheim).
Nan Hoover Lightscapes was also made possible by support from Erfgoed Brabant, Eindhoven City Council, Philips.
© Estate Nan Hoover, courtesy Sebastian Fath / Contemporary
