Beschrijving

This catalogue, published in 1988 by Kunsthallen Brandts Klædefabrik, documents an exhibition exploring the Dutch-Belgian avant-garde movement COBRA (1948-51) through the curatorial lens of Karel P. van Stuijvenberg. It presents the movement as a “mirror” — reflecting not only its own internal dynamism, experimentation and spontaneity, but also its engagement with broader post-war artistic, social and political currents.

The book is divided into photographic documentation of artworks (paintings, drawings, collage), archival materials (artist statements, correspondence, manifestos) and essays that situate COBRA’s key figures (such as Asger Jorn, Karel Appel, Constant Nieuwenhuys) within the context of post-war Europe. Throughout it emphasizes the themes of freedom of expression, collective creativity, and the rejection of rigid academic norms.

Finally, the catalogue reflects on the legacy of COBRA by asking how its spirit persists — how the “mirror” of past artistic radicalism still resonates today. It invites reflection on how mid-20th-century experimentation informs contemporary art practice and how exhibitions can act as sites of memory and renewal.