Onze Kunst van Heden

Onze Kunst van Heden (Contemporary Artists/Our Art of Today) was an exhibition held in the winter of 1939 through 1940 at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

[1][2][3] Due to the threat of invasion in the years leading up to World War II, the Netherlands' government stored many items from the Rijksmuseum's permanent collection.

[4] The resulting empty gallery space was utilized by contemporary Dutch artists to exhibit and sell their art.

Wanneer de belangstelling van het publiek uitgaat naar deze manifestatie, die in zulk een omvang in Holland nog niet gezien is, dan zal menige kunstenaar zich op zijn beurt gesterkt voelen".

"The artist can do little positive in times of social distress to avert disasters, but he can, by helping to bring out national expressions in the most idiosyncratic way, strengthen the sense of community.

F. Schmidt Degener heads press conference at Onze Kunst van Heden expo.
F. Schmidt Degener guides the press in the expo "Onze Kunst van Heden", 1939
Opening by Minister Gerrit Bolkestein of expo Onze Kunst van Heden, 1939
Arrangement of the exhibition Onze kunst van heden 1939-1940 .