Erasmus University Art Collection

In 1963, and on the initiative of Prof.mr. Piet Sanders (1912-2012), the Erasmus University collecting contemporary art of national and international artists. This in order to introduce students to the visual arts, and as a means of brightening up employees' offices and public areas of the university in an aesthetically responsible fashion. There was deliberately no preference for a particular art movement or trend, nor was there any attempt to acquire a collection that was intended to reflect every variant of graphic art. The only criterion was quality. This criterion is determined by artistic level, originality, art historical reference en technical execution. This is reflected in the visual development of the artist, the content, expressiveness, authenticity, cohesion in his work and context. Not only work of renowned artists is acquired, but also that of young, talented and promising artists. After 2000, not only graphics were acquired but the policy extended to forms of art such as photography, paintings and installations. Acquisitions spanning more than forty years have resulted in a rich collection in which many artistic movements from that period are represented; such as popart, op-art, constructivism, realism, surrealism and Junge Wilde. The collection is not established on an ad hoc base, but is determined by a special committee. This committee consists out of students, employees, and external advisors. Since the start of the collection the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam and Museum Boijmans van Beuningen have acted as permanent advisory bodies.