Jan Henderikse. Too Much is Not Enough!

"Too much is not enough!" These words by Jan Henderikse (b. 1937, Delft), recorded in 2010 by Antoon Melissen, encapsulate an entire oeuvre. On the one hand, the curiosity of an artist with an almost insatiable appetite for everyday objects — trinkets that, in his hands, are transformed into works of art. On the other, a barely concealed commentary on the excesses of consumer society.

As a member of the influential Dutch Nul group, Henderikse has made use of number plates, dollar bills, coins, corks, bars of soap and photographs, among many other materials. Having renounced the paintbrush in 1960, he continues to this day to create assemblages with these materials — colourful, humorous and strikingly relevant.

This summer Museum EICAS in Deventer deveoted a major exhibition to Jan Henderikse; Borzo lent several historical works to the show. Works by Henderikse are also part of the exhibition Radical. Realities. Nouveau Réalisme and the Art of the 1960s at the Kunsthalle Mannheim this fall.

The opening at the gallery takes place on 26 September, where Antoon Melissen will present his new book on Henderikse — his first in Dutch.