Bouke de Vries

Fragmented Beauty showcases a selection of highlights from Bouke de Vries’ career, where he explores the themes of decay and restoration. The exhibition includes still lifes, relics, and monumental installations, such as a life-sized double portrait of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, created from archeological fragments of 17th and 18th century Delftware. De Vries also presents apothecary jars for designer drugs and reimagined pieces of Vermeer’s The Milkmaid, carefully restored and reshaped.

The absolute highlight of the exhibition is War & Pieces, a large-scale and powerful installation that both moves and confronts. This work, which has already gained significant international attention, depicts the fragility and strength of ceramics in a breathtaking manner.

Bouke de Vries, based in London, is renowned for his unique approach to ceramics. He transforms broken and discarded shards into extraordinary artworks that challenge perceptions of beauty and perfection. His background in fashion and textile design, combined with his training as a ceramics restorer, makes his work visually captivating and conceptually stimulating. De Vries’ work is part of many leading international collections and is represented by prominent galleries in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics is honoured to be the first museum in the Netherlands to present a major retrospective of Bouke de Vries. With Fragmented Beauty, the museum offers an extensive selection of his most iconic works, showcasing the power of broken ceramics in new, unexpected forms. This exhibition, which will attract both national and international visitors, highlights the museum’s mission to present world-class contemporary ceramics. The exhibition is curated by Wendy Gers.