The Facts
The Stedelijk Museum announced on June 16, 2026, the death of Wim T. Schippers on June 10, 2026. The artist visited the museum in March to view a selection of his work, including the 1966 pieces "Mnemosyne" and "The Lump," as well as a famous episode of his television show "Van Oekel's Discohoek." Schippers, who first sold drawings to the Stedelijk in 1959, co-founded the A-Dynamische Groep with Ger van Elk in 1961, which called for "true disinterestedness" and "lack of style." His absurdist TV programs, including "Hoepla" and "De Fred Haché Show," are part of the Stedelijk's collection and regularly exhibited.
The Signal
Schippers emerged in the early 1960s alongside the international Fluxus movement, though he never formally aligned with it. His work, characterized by irony and a blend of everyday exaggeration and abstract forms, challenged the grand gestures of Abstract Expressionism. His television work brought him widespread public fame in the Netherlands, and its inclusion in the museum's collection underscores the institutional recognition of media-based art. His death marks the loss of a singular figure who bridged fine art and popular culture.
- Artists: Wim T. Schippers
- People: Ger van Elk, Willem Sandberg, Donna Summer
- Museums: Stedelijk Museum
- Locations: Amsterdam
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