Sample some Dutch Design at Schiphol! Art has a special meaning at the airport, and we are proud to offer travellers the opportunity to admire our unique collection. These five pieces can be found at various locations after the security and passport check. We hope you’ll be able to come and see them in real life soon!
There’s plenty to see and do at Schiphol to keep you entertained before your flight. And it’s hard not to smile or even giggle when you walk past (or underneath) the neon HAHA HIHI lights. This piece by Dutch artist and architect John Körmeling brings a humorous touch to Lounge 2. It’s tucked away behind the many shops and places to eat that travellers can find here. Go and look for it next time you fly from the airport!
Picture a typical Dutch landscape. What do you see? The image in your mind may resemble the landscape in Samira Boon’s 10,800 Horizons – a huge textile artwork on Holland Boulevard, between Lounges 2 and 3. This weaved design, produced in collaboration with the Textile Museum in Tilburg, was inspired by a photo of the Dutch polder landscape. Be sure to admire the piece from a distance and close up – two very different experiences.
Sculptor, graphic artist, painter and architect Theo Niermeijer certainly had wanderlust. He studied in Poland, spent some time working in Morocco and travelled to Asia, where he became interested in Chinese and Buddhist philosophy. He is often referred to as ‘the iron poet’ due to his fondness of using metal, often salvaged from shipyards. Niermeijer’s Guardian Angels in Lounge 4 combines rough iron with mystical symbolism. What do you see when you look at these rusty angels?
If you have ever been on Schiphol’s D Pier, this striking artwork will probably not have escaped your attention. So Go On is a set of huge, stacked-up illuminated letters. Artist Marc Ruygrok’s works often contain letters and short phrases that can be interpreted in different ways or which reflect the context in which they are placed. In this case, the context is an airport. And the artist’s message to people travelling through Schiphol is loud and clear: So Go On!
On the H/M Pier, you can find another imposing work of art: Tom Claassen’sTwo Incredible Sitting Black Snowmen. What may at first look like two giant beanbags are actually bronze sculptures! But that doesn’t stop curious travellers from sitting on them to take a short break from moving through the airport. According to the artist, the most important aspect of this piece is the contrast between the stationary snowmen and the dynamic environment. What do you think?
If you would like to find out more about Schiphol’s art collection, visit this fun facts page, scroll to the bottom and download the Art at Schiphol booklet.