Toespraak van minister Bussemaker bij de opening van de expositie van Herman de Vries at the opening of the Dutch pavilion at the Venice Biennale on 6 May 2015

Toespraak | 01-05-2015

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to be with you here today.

The seventeenth-century scientist Jan Swammerdam is quoted as saying:

I offer you proof of God's providence in the anatomy of a louse.

Along with microbiologist Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Swammerdam was a pioneer in the field of microscopy. And after years of painstaking study, he went on to refute the prevailing notion of insects as 'despicable creatures that arose spontaneously in mud pits or rotting meat.' Swammerdam discovered that all creatures – birds, mammals and even insects – have their own reproductive cycles, just as humans do.

Above all, his words express the wonder of someone who examined the natural world through a magnifying glass – day in, day out – and who saw what others could not see.

We can all recall that sense of wonder from our childhood. I still remember my amazement when I first saw an 'ant highway' – leaping over winding columns of ants, some carrying twigs and leaves two or three times their own size. Some people never lose that wide-eyed fascination. Scientists, for example. Their natural curiosity sparks discoveries that can further human advancement. And artists, who transform their wonder into stunning works of the imagination. And who are able to give us, the beholders, the opportunity to look, listen and feel as never before. Through the power of their art.

herman de vries – a big name in small letters – is such an artist. He grew up in the dunes of Petten, in the northern part of Holland, and his experiences of that natural landscape have shaped his work to this day. His sense of wonder at the natural world drives his art, as he transforms his inquiring mind into inspiring and imaginative images.

Herman, in the film Dutch Masters in the 21st Century you talk about your trips to the woodland stream near the house you have lived in for the past forty years. And you express your amazement that the flow of the stream never looks quite the same. Never sounds quite the same.

You take the time to see nature and observe its subtle changes. You describe the forest as 'a poetic event'. And when the moment is right, you seek to capture the poetry of nature and to share it with us. Like a Basho haiku.

It is not your intention to deliver a message or to preach from a pulpit. But you do want us to be aware that the natural world is our foundation. Here in this Pavilion and on the nearby island of Lazarette Vecchio – which we will visit shortly – you offer us the chance to see nature through your eyes, to help us see differently.

To me, this is not only very interesting, but also extremely important.

Not only because we are depleting our fossil fuels and need to go in search of many more ways to engage sustainably with the environment. But also because the best solutions can often be found in nature, by looking closely at the natural world.

Take the use of maggots as a therapy to help heal wounds in cases where modern medicine has failed.

There are also artists and designers who harness scientific discoveries to create new products. Markus Kayser makes 3D prints using only sand and sunlight. Designers are generating energy from dead squid cells and making new skin for burn patients, using spider silk as their inspiration.

But it all starts with the ability to take a step back and tap into that childlike sense of wonder. Autonomous art can open our senses and enable us to take a fresh outlook. In this light we can see the endless variety of shapes, colours and textures among the fallen leaves. Or be moved by the scent of lavender. Imagination shows us that change is an opportunity and that opportunity cannot exist without change.

I am immensely proud of ‘our pavilion’ and the jury who selected two curators with the conviction to present an 83-year-old artist who has always followed his own path; curators with the insight to recognize that his work speaks to us now more than ever. I am also proud that so many other places at this Biennale feature show the work of celebrated artists or curators who live, work or were born in the Netherlands. Marlene Dumas, Mounira al Solh and Steve McQueen are all showing their work at the central pavilion. Thomas Berghuis is curating the first ever national pavilion for Tuvalu. James Becket is one of the artists at the Belgian pavilion and Defne Ayas has curated the exhibition at the Turkish pavilion. These are just a handful of the exhibitions with a Dutch flavour.

From this distinguished platform, let me once again say – loud and clear – that the Netherlands is playing a significant part in the international arena of the visual arts. And the figures back up this claim. The number of artists from the Netherlands currently presenting their work on the international stage is impressive. This was the challenge I asked the foundations to meet two years ago. And they have dedicated themselves to achieving it. It is vital that we maintain this impetus. Not for the sake of ticking off checklists. But because this is art that deserves to be seen throughout the world. And because the Netherlands should always be port of call for artists who, by their very nature, cross borders in order to create.

This thought brings me back to what this afternoon is all about: the opening of this exhibition of herman de vries’s stills from nature, work that richly deserves to take pride of place in this Rietveld-building, icon of Modern architecture. And of course the other part of the exhibition – a wonderful contrast that awaits us across the water.

It only remains for me to wish you all a pleasurable evening, full of joy and full of wonder.