ROTTERDAM.- Today a new series of wall paintings were unveiled in the Espresso Bar at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. The work entitled ‘Duende Too’ is a collaboration between artists Pam Emmerik (1964) and René Daniëls (1950). The colourful, pictographic wall paintings give the space a completely new look. The renovated Espresso Bar opens officially on 21 September, but is already open for visitors.

Following on from artists’ collective Antistrot and artist Johan van Oord, Pam Emmerik and René Daniëls have worked in close partnership on the wall paintings. Emmerik’s work is characterised by bright colours, fantasy figures and textual elements. For the Espresso Bar, which has room for more than 60 people, she has made designs on the theme of ‘Duende’. Duende is a Spanish word that refers to a goblin-like mythological creature. But it also describes the robust alternative artistic spirit that holds an artist in its grip. The artist who experiences Duende is aware of his or her mortality, challenging them to make unforgettable art that is attractive yet dangerous.

Pam Emmerik and René Daniëls

Pam Emmerik also writes novels, short stories, essays and poems. Her work is recognisable for its use of colour and bold outlines. In the 1980s Emmerik studied painting at Ateliers ‘63, where René Daniëls was teaching. In that period Daniëls made paintings that combined colour, language and form with references to music and poetry. His oeuvre continues to exert a strong influence on younger artists and is represented in museum collections in the Netherlands and abroad. Following a brain haemorrhage in the late 1980s, he was unable to paint for many years but has recently taken up his brushes again. For the Espresso Bar he improvised on Emmerik’s designs, making direct interventions on the walls. The museum is delighted that Daniëls has agreed to collaborate with Emmerik on these wall paintings.

Espresso Bar

The Espresso Bar was designed in 2008 by Simon Heijdens. This space, to the left of the entrance, is open to everyone who wants to enjoy a delicious espresso or cappuccino from Man Met Bril Koffie, with a broad selection of newspapers and magazines and free Wi-Fi. The Espresso Bar is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.