Collection as Cosmos
A different perspective on time with the new collection display
Jun 6, 2026 – May 2, 2030
Photo: Lisa van Katwijk
Collection as Cosmos explores time and the stories art can tell. The exhibition challenges the idea of art history as one, continuous timeline. Instead of measuring time, it focuses on the constellations and connections we can create with artworks across time. Celebrating its 90th birthday in 2026, the Van Abbemuseum presents a new collection display that offers a fresh perspective on time and rethinks the way we look at our collection.
Like constellations of stars in the night sky, 250 artworks are spread across the museum’s three floors. They do not follow a fixed timeline or chronological order. By linking personal stories to larger cycles, the exhibition brings together different rhythms of time, from human histories to time on a cosmic scale. With Collection as Cosmos, the Van Abbemuseum moves away from presenting a single truth or a straight line through time. Instead, it becomes a space where multiple times and stories exist side by side. The exhibition stimulates wonder, invites new perspectives, and opens up a lively dialogue with time.
Four approaches to time
Collection as Cosmos presents the museum collection in an open, dynamic way. You are invited to experience time in four different ways:
Unchronological time
By moving away from a chronological order, the museum has created space for new stories. Ninety neighbours are invited to contribute to the exhibition by lending an object from their everyday life. With their objects, these storytellers take you on a journey through time. The objects act as portals: they connect personal stories and memories to artworks in the collection, such as a pink alarm clock linked by narrator Ron Vogels to the painting JULY 4, 1973 ‘Wednesday’ by artist On Kawara. This method was developed with the Johannesburg working group of Another Roadmap Africa Cluster (ARAC).
Regenerative time
Life and death, celebration and loss. In her work, artist and death researcher G explores what grief and mourning can look like. How do we deal with these moments in the cycle of life? And what do they mean in a museum that collects, preserves and, sometimes, removes artworks from the collection? How do you say goodbye to an artwork?
Public time
How can we experience the outside in a museum? This approach questions museum frameworks such as walls and opening hours. In one room, arranged like a forest of sculptures and installations, you pass under an inflatable arch inspired by a marathon finish line. In this work, Ima-Abasi Okon develops ideas from her 2025 solo exhibition, where she challenged the way we usually measure time, based on her running practice.
Cosmic times
How does the night sky connect to the land and to agriculture? This fourth approach to time focuses on cycles of sowing and harvesting, linking cosmic and earthly rhythms. It is developed with artist Nolan Oswald Dennis and is based on their installation Black Liberation Zodiac (Khunuseti). In the room dedicated to cosmic times, you find yourself surrounded by walls filled with landscapes spanning the ages.
Art and society meet
While Collection as Cosmos unfolds on the top three floors of the Collection Building, the Dommelplein on the ground floor offers a space for participation and collaboration. Artists, designers, visitors and thinkers come together with local partners such as Archipel, Design Academy Eindhoven, Studio Woensel West and Tante Netty. Here, art and society meet in new ways of making, collecting and experiencing.
Artists
Collection as Comos brings together 250 artworks from: Can Altay, Brook Andrew, Karel Appel, Rasheed Araeen, Mercedes Azpilicueta, Francis Bacon, Jo Baer, Gerrit van Bakel, Ernst Barlach, Robert Barry, Max Beckmann, Marcel van den Berg, Pieke Bergmans, Joseph Beuys, Rossella Biscotti, Ansuya Blom, Georges Braque, Marcel Broodthaers, stanley brouwn, Günter Brus, Simnikiwe Buhlungu, Kees Buurman, André Cadere, Heinrich Campendonk, Hendrik Chabot, Marc Chagall, Edgar Cleijne, Constant, Jan Elburg & Constant, Angelo Custodio, Wim van Dam, René Daniëls, Yael Davids, Nolan Oswald Dennis, Jan Dibbets, Rineke Dijkstra, Theo van Doesburg, Jean Dubuffet, Marlene Dumas, Kiki van Eijk, Ger van Elk, Edgar Fernhout, Barry Flanagan, Dan Flavin, Lucio Fontana, Hamish Fulton, G, Leylâ Gediz, Isa Genzken, Guerrilla Girls, Gerhard von Graevenitz, Dan Graham, Laura Grisi, Guercino, Nilbar Güreş, Femke Herregraven, Lubaina Himid, Hans van Hoek, Jenny Holzer, Rebecca Horn, Cristina Iglesias, Jim Isermann, Lucie van Dam van Isselt, Joan Jonas, Asger Jorn, Donald Judd, Ilya Kabakov, Gülsün Karamustafa, Rei Kawakubo, On Kawara, Mike Kelley, Ellsworth Kelly, Niek Kemps, Natasja Kensmil, Anselm Kiefer, Sung Hwan Kim, Yves Klein, Jannis Kounellis, Herman Kruyder, Wifredo Lam, Carolyn Lazard, Fernand Léger, Bart van der Leck, El Lissitzky, Bernd Lohaus, Richard Paul Lohse, Taus Makhacheva, Kazimir Malevich, Jos Manders, Mark Manders, Frank Mandersloot, Alfred Manessier, Glenda Martinus, Allan McCollum, Ana Mendieta, Griet Menschaert, Joan Miró, Moelyono, Piet Mondriaan, Robert Morris, Li Mu, Otobong Nkanga, Ima-Abasi Okon, Onkruidenier, Gabriel Orozco, Piet Ouborg, Paul Panhuysen, Bart Peizel, Alicia Penalba, Giuseppe Penone, Dan Perjovschi, Constant Permeke, Pablo Picasso, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Serge Poliakoff, Larry Poons, Monira Al Qadiri, Walid Raad, John Rädecker, Michael Raedecker, Jewyo Rhii, Coba Ritsema, Ulrich Rückriem, Wilhelm Sasnal, Erzen Shkololli, Lorna Simpson, Gustave de Smet, Victor Sonna, Frank Stella, Mladen Stilinović, Peter Struycken, Jennifer Tee, Jean Tinguely, Rikrit Tiravanija, Jan Toorop, Richard Tuttle, Alexander Ugay, Lidwien van de Ven, Toon Verhoef, Henk Visch, Carel Visser, Herman de Vries, Angela Bulloch & Imke Wagener, Franz Erhard Walther, Andy Warhol, Rachel Whiteread, Ian Wilson, Santiago Yahuarcani, Haegue Yang, and Ossip Zadkine.
This collection presentation is made possible by:
Dommelplein is made possible by:
The new museum garden is made possible by:
Colofon / Colophon
Collection as Comos brings together 250 artworks from: Can Altay, Brook Andrew, Karel Appel, Rasheed Araeen, Mercedes Azpilicueta, Francis Bacon, Jo Baer, Gerrit van Bakel, Ernst Barlach, Robert Barry, Max Beckmann, Marcel van den Berg, Joseph Beuys, Rossella Biscotti, Ansuya Blom, Georges Braque, Marcel Broodthaers, stanley brouwn, Günter Brus, Simnikiwe Buhlungu, Kees Buurman, André Cadere, Heinrich Campendonk, Hendrik Chabot, Marc Chagall, Edgar Cleijne, Constant, Jan Elburg & Constant, Angelo Custodio, Wim van Dam, René Daniëls, Yael Davids, Nolan Oswald Dennis, Jan Dibbets, Rineke Dijkstra, Theo van Doesburg, Jean Dubuffet, Marlene Dumas, Kiki van Eijk, Ger van Elk, Charles Eyck, Edgar Fernhout, Barry Flanagan, Dan Flavin, Lucio Fontana, Hamish Fulton, G, Leylâ Gediz, Isa Genzken, Guerrilla Girls, Gerhard von Graevenitz, Dan Graham, Laura Grisi, Guercino, Nilbar Güreş, Femke Herregraven, Lubaina Himid, Hans van Hoek, Jenny Holzer, Rebecca Horn, Cristina Iglesias, Jim Isermann, Lucie van Dam van Isselt, Joan Jonas, Asger Jorn, Donald Judd, Ilya Kabakov, Gülsün Karamustafa, Rei Kawakubo, On Kawara, Mike Kelley, Ellsworth Kelly, Niek Kemps, Natasja Kensmil, Anselm Kiefer, Sung Hwan Kim, Yves Klein, Jannis Kounellis, Herman Kruyder, Wifredo Lam, Carolyn Lazard, Fernand Léger, Bart van der Leck, El Lissitzky, Bernd Lohaus, Richard Paul Lohse, Taus Makhacheva, Kazimir Malevich, Jos Manders, Mark Manders, Frank Mandersloot, Alfred Manessier, Glenda Martinus, Allan McCollum, Ana Mendieta, Griet Menschaert, Joan Miró, Moelyono, Piet Mondriaan, Robert Morris, Li Mu, Otobong Nkanga, Ima-Abasi Okon, Onkruidenier, Füsun Onur, Gabriel Orozco, Piet Ouborg, Paul Panhuysen, Bart Peizel, Alicia Penalba, Giuseppe Penone, Dan Perjovschi, Constant Permeke, Pablo Picasso, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Serge Poliakoff, Larry Poons, Monira Al Qadiri, Walid Raad, John Rädecker, Michael Raedecker, Jewyo Rhii, Coba Ritsema, Ulrich Rückriem, Wilhelm Sasnal, Erzen Shkololli, Lorna Simpson, Gustave de Smet, Victor Sonna, Frank Stella, Mladen Stilinović, Peter Struycken, Jennifer Tee, Jean Tinguely, Rikrit Tiravanija, Jan Toorop, Richard Tuttle, Alexander Ugay, Lidwien van de Ven, Toon Verhoef, Henk Visch, Carel Visser, herman de vries, Angela Bulloch & Imke Wagener, Franz Erhard Walther, Andy Warhol, Rachel Whiteread, Ian Wilson, Santiago Yahuarcani, Haegue Yang, and Ossip Zadkine.
Kunstenaars als gesprekspartners / Artist Interlocutors
De tentoonstelling is rond vier onderzoekslijnen georganiseerd, samen met kunstenaars als onderzoekers die hun werk implementeerden tijdens de onderzoeksfase en de onderliggende structuur van de tentoonstelling vormgaven. “Onchronologische Tijd,” ontwikkeld in samenwerking met Another Road Map Africa Cluster (ARAC), verbindt de bezoeker met de collectie via plaatsen, geschiedenissen en herinneringen. “Regeneratieve Tijd,” ontwikkeld met kunstenaar en doodsonderzoeker G, verkent de cycli van leven en dood voor zowel materiële objecten als immateriële systemen. “Publieke Tijd,” ontwikkeld met kunstenaar Ima-Abasi Okon, belicht de rol van kunst in publieke ruimten buiten de openingstijden van het museum. “Kosmische Tijden,” ontwikkeld met Nolan Oswald Dennis, onderzoekt planetaire tijdsdimensies en gebruikt de kosmos en de nachtelijke hemel om lokale vraagstukken aan te kaarten.
Artistiek Team / Artistic Team
Concept & Lead by Yolande Zola Zoli van der Heide (senior curator) in samenwerking met / in collaboration with Defne Ayas (directeur / director), Steven ten Thije (hoofd collecties / head of collections), Abril Cisneros Ramírez (assistent curator), Anna Truntaeva (curator stagiaire)
Projectleider / Project Manager
Nikita Hurkmans
Ruimtelijk Ontwerp / Spatial Design
Studio Matilde Cassani (Matilde Cassani, Leonardo Gatti, Cecilia da Pozzo)
Grafisch Ontwerp / Graphic Design
Studio Pupilla
Zakelijk Directeur / Business Director
Anastasia van Gennip
Hoofd Productie & Presentatie / Head of Production & Presentation
Antoine Derksen
Hoofd Opbouw & Technische Coördinator /
Head Installation & Technical Coordination
Diederik Koppelmans, Mark van der Gronden
Technisch Tekenaar / Technical Engineer
Benno Hartjes
Technische Dienst / Installation Team
Hadewych Bartelds, Gijs Blankers, Matthieu Brekelmans, Stef van der Dungen, Perry van Duijnhoven, Tom Frencken, Joost Gehem, Tyson Goudsmit, Paul Heijnen, Ivi van Keulen, Sjoerd van Lankveld, Thijs Linmans, Sander Lucas, Bram Mijnders, Aagje Linssen, Angelo Shuhmacher, Leon Vos, Jeroen Vrijsen
AV & Lichtontwerp / AV & Light Design
Bart van Geldrop
Collectieteam / Collection Team
Marit Jacobs, Michaela Groeneveld, Chantal Kleinmeulman, Aurora Loerakker, Angeliki Petropoulos, Dieke Ribbers, Michel van Weegberg
Archief & Bibliotheek / Archive & Library
Relinde ter Borg, Annebel Kuperus, Rebecca Niculae, Odilia van Roij, Maria Samailiuk, Nelleke Slofstra, Anna Tchitcherine
Fondsenwerving / Fundraising
Joy Ravenwaaij, Roos Ticheler
Publieksbemiddeling & Educatie / Mediation & Education
Yda Sinaij, Glenda Pattipeilohy, Ilse van de Wetering, Nayara Lekkerkerk (stagiairs / interns)
Alle teksten zijn bewerkt tot B1 niveau door een externe redacteur. / All exhibition texts have been externally edited to B1 level for accessibility.
Constituent Organisator / Organiser
Vivian Vasilda-Heyms
Multisensorische Ontwikkeling / Multisensory Development
ADEZIV network (Daisy Dawson, Marie- Luise Charlotte Weier, Simon van Vliet, Oskar Zulauf, Mehdi Greefhorst, Nick Monroe Maeres, Willemijn Kuipers, Kaylee Rosaline, Maartje Vos-Swinkels, Menko Dijksterhuis, Miriam Wolter), Hossam Althakali, CBB, Jeanette Chedda, Angelo Custódio, Eindhoven Toegankelijk (Paula de Ruiter, Marc Jacobs, Ingrid Schoenmakers), EzWayz, Femke Herregraven, InGebaren, Tamara van Laarhoven, Steffie Maas, Benny Nilsen, Helga Pladek, Shay Raviv, Studio Matilde Cassani, Studio Pupilla, Stichting Accessibility (Séverine Kas, Jolijn Jansen, Sandra Vernooij), The Snifferoo ( Frank Bloem), Jesse Vermeulen, Videlio (John Willemse, George Kabel)
Projectorganisatie 90 Vertellers / Project Organisation 90 Narrators
Abril Cisneros Ramírez, Blanka Gyulai, Zohra Peels, Chala Westerman
Marketing & Communicatie / Marketing & Communication
Maud Bongers, Kelly Hamers, Chloe van der Schmitte, Sabine Spierenburg. Zoe Okonkwo Prada & Pia Seidel (stagiairs / interns)
Management Assistant / Assistent
Marit Pulles
Museumgidsen / Museum Guides
Jocelyn Baah, Claudia den Boer, Fleur Brom, Ángela Castaño Estévez, Salman Dirir, Tessa van den Eeden, Laury van Eerd, Julia Fidder, Vitor Van Gaever, Marjon de Groot, Atakan Gür, Diewke van den Heuvel, Nini Hoang, Loïs Lentz, Lieke Mangindaan, Jacqueline Nas, Marjolein Nolles, Laura Papke, Sanne Prevoo, Mariam Razkallah, Leonie Schepers, Trienette Stevens, Rimanta Tavo, Sabina Timmermans, Marieke Verberne, Maartje Vos-Swinkels, Roos Wijma, Miranda van der Zandt
Met dank aan / With thanks to
Team Infobalie & Hosts, Team beveiliging
Financiële Administratie / Financial Administration
Lean Biemans, Femke Brandsma, Tanya Chumachenko
Hoofd Facilitaire Dienst / Facilities Manager
Trudy van de Meerakker
Eventmanager / Event Manager
Maureen de Lang, Michelle Crooijmans
Nieuwkomers Evenementen / Newcomers Events
Shafiq Omar
Juridisch Adviseur / Legal Advisor
Indra Schurer
Museum Shop & Kassabalie / Museum Shop & Ticket Office
Petra van Gerwen, Reyhan Kayan, Saskia de Marée, Charlotte Merkx, Shafiq Omar, Alice Pessers, Rachida Post, Motta (Lois Hilt, Aagje Linssen, Jawad Yarzada)
Interieurverzorgers / Cleaning Staff
Alex Bekiaris, Bianca Bogaart, Petra van Boxtel, Jennefer IJzermans, Diego Hernandez, Petra Holten, Harold de Jong, Enver Khaibullayev, Ricardo van Laarschot, Lorano Montana
Van Abbe café
Janske van den Berg, Daisy Dawson, Sophie Eestermans, Fleur Hulleman, Brenda Mertens, Eva Oosthoek, Daria Poliakova, Joana coronel Soler, Mees van Maurik, Iris Quaedvlieg, Jenko Rademaker, Celest de Rooij, Rachel Sloven, Sara Veenstra, Juana Truffat, Bregje Zimmermann
Tuinier / Gardener
Henrie van Nistelrooij
Speciale Dank / Special Thanks
Rob Burgers, Paula Chang, Dr. AF Philips Observatory, Paul Klomp, Harm Munk, Ruben Suykerbuyk, Nicholas Turner, Welcome UK, Riet Wijnen
