Artfully Amsterdam
With rejuvenated cultural attractions adding even more charm to its striking cityscape, the Dutch capital is the place for art lovers, Hong Xinyi included
It’s a little bit funny that Vincent van Gogh painted no tulips—at least none that have blossomed in popular consciousness as fervently as his sunflowers, irises and almond blossoms. The most famous of Dutch exports, a flower and a painter of flowers (among other things), thus never quite meet, a missed connection that must surely prompt some wistful thinking from tourism marketers in the Netherlands. But that’s not to say that van Gogh and tulips haven’t been linked together in other ways. For starters, visitors to the Netherlands are likely to carry home memories of both—two of the country’s most popular attractions are the Keukenhof, a garden about 30min from Amsterdam that showcases tulips and other spring flowers; and the Dutch capital’s Van Gogh Museum, home of the largest collection of his paintings in the world. I’m slated to check out both spots on this trip, and my introduction to the museum starts on my aeroplane ride, thanks to the newly enhanced in-flight entertainment on-board KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. China’s Van Goghs, a documentary about a village of peasants-turned-painters in Shenzhen, catches my eye. One of these painters, Zhao Xiaoyong, specialises in van Gogh knock-offs; when he gets the chance to visit Amsterdam and sees the original paintings in the flesh, the encounter seems to rock him to the core. In the Van Gogh Museum, he scrutinises the artworks he’s been reproducing for years, marveling at the subtleties of colour and detail. Standing in the city centre, he’s amazed by the lack of skyscrapers. “I didn’t expect it to look like this,” he says. Zhao’s unfiltered wonder lingers in my mind as I arrive in Amsterdam on a quiet Sunday morning. Our host at the Conservatorium hotel tells us that the overcast skies of winter have only just given way to spring’s gentle sunshine. The eternal summer of Singapore is not the best context for appreciating this shift, but Singapore has its own seasons of change. For travellers accustomed to a breakneck pace of redevelopment, Amsterdam holds a deep fascination. Modernity has not eradicated the presence of the past here. The city’s Canal District is a vivid reminder of the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century— the majority of houses built during this period are still standing, and the radial waterways and bridges are not just picturesque, but enduring emblems of early Dutch expertise in engineering and urban planning. This district was named a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2010, and Amsterdam actually boasts more canals than Venice, and more bridges than Paris. To explore the city’s architectural splendours with a knowledgeable guide, guests at the Conservatorium can tap on the expertise of its Host department, which offers customised services and experiences. The hotel itself is a worthy stop on any architectural tour. Built in the late 19th century, it once housed the Sweelinck Conservatory. Today, it pays homage to its arty past in various ways: students of the Conservatorium
van Amsterdam perform every weekend in the hotel’s lounge; while March, May and June are designated Art Months that see the hotel showcasing works by different artists. For art lovers, the Conservatorium’s most exciting feature might well be its location. Its opening in 2011 was part of a wider renewal of Amsterdam’s Oud Zuid (Old South), a cultural hub that includes Royal Concertgebouw (Royal Concert Hall), and three of Amsterdam’s most heavy-hitting museums—the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk and Van Gogh. The first two museums reopened in 2013 and 2012, respectively, after years-long renovations. The Rijksmuseum, in particular, should not be missed. Its Gallery of Honour is compact and engaging, with vibrant depictions of everyday life from Dutch masters such as Frans Hals and Johannes Vermeer. Taking pride of place is The Night Watch, the monumental Rembrandt painting of a militia brigade that’s regarded as a national treasure— there’s a trapdoor under it that leads to an escape slide, should the painting need to moved out fast during an emergency. The Stedelijk Museum boasts an extensive collection of works from the De Stijl artistic movement, which was founded in Amsterdam in 1917. Its proponents believed in the purity of geometric forms and primary colours. Meanwhile, the Van Gogh Museum’s comprehensive collection allows for the unique thrill of observing the artist’s evolution—you see the way his technique shifts from loose impressionistic brushstrokes to thickly layered paintwork, the way his palette brightens as he refines his expressionistic use of colour. For more voguish visual pleasures, there’s the Modern Contemporary (Moco) Museum Amsterdam, and Photography Museum FOAM, which also has a well-curated bookshop. If you’re hankering to acquire an art piece of your very own, amble through the Art & Antiques District to explore the numerous galleries there. The Keukenhof makes for a perfect daytrip from Amsterdam, if you’re visiting during the eight weeks it opens every year. This year, the garden’s annual showcase of spring flowers was structured around the theme of Dutch design. Wandering among the flower beds inside, I spot a sign that says: “Dutch design is characterised by Dutch sobriety combined with innovative solutions.” It’s an amusingly solemn description of an aesthetic that actually has spades of playfulness in its DNA. You can see it in quirky indie boutiques such as The Frozen Fountain in hipster shopping district De Negen Straatjes; and in more established Dutch brands such as fashion label Scotch & Soda and furniture brand Mooi, both of which have flagship stores in Amsterdam’s Heiligeweg and Jordaan neighbourhoods, respectively. You can even see this Dutch irreverence in the most humourless of places, the modern airport. In Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, passengers can curl up on giant stuffed animals in waiting areas, and there’s a cheeky art installation titled Real Time by Dutch designer Maarten Baas—inside a suspended clock, a man seems to be making the hands of the clock “tick” by erasing then painting them in new positions. (It’s actually a video.) You can also buy tulips at Schiphol, packed with water capsules for the flight home. Back in Singapore, I unwrap my bouquet of tulips, placing them in a vase of ice water as the airport florist advised; still, the petals soon unfurl in the heat, a little touch of spring in our eternal summer.