Botanical Fresco
'Botanical Fresco' for the ceiling of the Pleinfoyer in the International Theater Amsterdam (ITA) draws on the layers of history in the space from 1894 to the present, while softening the acoustic experience of this grand, double-height parlour.
The botanical composition and custom, plant-based colour palette directly reference and pay homage to the room's original 1894 floral wall paintings, many times since painted over, as well as the recently restored granito floor and 1939 wall frescoes by Gerard Hordijk. The organic composition of botanics references the time-sensitive and fluid process of fresco painting, which is so characteristic of the ITA in the Pleinfoyer and throughout its magnificent halls.
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Research and analysis into the historical preservation of this significant space, carried out by De Kunstkoesteraars in 2022, provided historical grounding for the artwork colour palette. The original hues of paint uncovered through this research were carefully studied and recreated in the natural dye lab at Studio Claudy Jongstra using historic pigment plants including woad (Isatis tinctoria), madder (Rubia tinctoria), and golden onion skin. Together, the palette creates a strong visual connection to the history of the Pleinfoyer within the contemporary context of its life and identity today.
The use of historic pigment plants and Drenthe Heath wool also draw a connection between the Pleinfoyer, the contemporary Dutch landscape, and the historical significance of a connection between heritage plants, heritage wool, and Dutch cultural heritage in historically significant architecture such as the ITA.
Title: Botanical Fresco
Location: International Theater Amsterdam (ITA), Amsterdam
Year: 2024
Materials: Drenthe Heath wool, Merino wool, mohair, silk
Plant-Based Colours: Woad, walnut husk, madder root, onion skin, nettle, coreopsis
Photography: Fabian Calis
