For eighteen months J.A. Deelder has been collecting pens, cocktail sticks, hypodermic needles, tubes, drinking straws, teaspoons, toothbrushes, toys and contact lens holders and then sorting them by colour. He glues all these materials together to form three-dimensional objects, thereby adding a new dimension to his rich oeuvre of poetry and performances. In his own words: “You just sit and mess around a bit and at a certain moment it becomes something”.
Spaceships
When Deelder’s daughter Ari was making a film about Willem Koopman alias Willem the Biker in 2015, her father was prepared to make a number of spaceships as Willem always used to do in the bars of Rotterdam. The former biker and tramp with a supernatural mission, Koopman, saw Rotterdam as a spaceship that might be fired out of the universe at any moment. Deelder’s creations, on the other hand, do not ascend to the furthest corners of the universe, but land in the Kunsthal.
About Jules Deelder
J.A. Deelder was born in 1944 as the son of a meat merchant in Rotterdam. Deelder has been a national celebrity since the early 1960s as a jazz connoisseur, writer, poet, performer and above all Rotterdam local. His emphatic predilection for black clothing, butterfly spectacles, Sparta, Citroën and cycling have made him a familiar figure in TV and radio programmes.
About your visit
Frequently Asked Questions
Skip listThe Kunsthal is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 17:00 hrs. The Kunsthal Café opens half an hour earlier, so you can visit from 9:30 hrs until half an hour after closing time. Check the current opening hours.
Yes, you need to book a ticket with a start time in advance. This also applies if you have a Museum card, Rotterdam pass, or VriendenLoterij VIP Card. This way, you are guaranteed admission and we can ensure that your visit is as pleasant as possible. Book your start time.
Yes, with an online ticket, you can visit all the exhibitions that are on display on the date of your visit. You can also stay as long as you like. You are welcome at the Kunsthal from your designated start time until closing time. Book your start time.
In de Kunsthal Rotterdam zijn altijd meerdere wisselende en contrastrijke tentoonstellingen tegelijk te zien. Een volledig overzicht van alle actuele tentoonstellingen vind je op de tentoonstellingspagina.