Cobra Museum

About

The Cobra Museum of Modern Art (Dutch: Cobra Museum voor Moderne Kunst) is an art museum in Amstelveen in the Netherlands. The collection of the museum consists of key works by artists associated with three art movements, Vrij Beelden (1945), Cobra (1948–1951), and Creatie (1950–1955). In addition, the museum organizes temporary exhibitions by national and international avant-garde artists.

The Cobra Museum of Modern Art opened its doors on November 8, 1995, as a reference to the founding date of the Cobra movement on the 8th of November, 1948. Architect Wim Quist designed the building. Initially, the museum exhibited the private collection of collector J. Karel P. van Stuijvenberg. Later on, the collection was regularly supplemented with own purchases, long-term loans and donations.

From the beginning of the twenty-first century, the museum has also come to focus on contemporary artists who work in the spirit of Cobra. This focus has led, among other things, to the Cobra Kunstprijs Amstelveen, which was awarded biennially between 2005 and 2017 to 'a visual artist who creates innovative work that demonstrates commitment in the spirit of the Cobra movement.' The laureates are Joost Conijn (2005), Johannes Schwartz (2007), Gijs Frieling (2009), Nathaniel Mellors (2011), Metahaven (2013), Jennifer Tee (2015) and Christian Friedrich (2017). The prize consisted of a cash prize, an exhibition in the Cobra Museum, and a catalog or other publication accompanying that exhibition. The museum is also involved in the triennial Amstelveen Triënnale.

- Guggenheim Collection to the Cobra Museum of Modern Art (2014)

- Miró & CoBrA, experimental play (2016)

- Le Corbusier's fourth dimension (2017)

- Eugène Brands: From living room to universe (2018)

- An indomitable force: The child as a source of inspiration

- New Nuances: Female artists in and around Cobra (2019)

- This is Surrealism! The Boijmans Masterpieces (2020)

- Under the Skin: The Life and Work of Claude Cahun (2020)

- Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera: A Love Revolution (2021)

- Constant 101: The future can be humane (2022)

- Guggenheim Collection to the Cobra Museum of Modern Art (2014)

- Miró & CoBrA, experimental play (2016)

- Le Corbusier's fourth dimension (2017)

- Eugène Brands: From living room to universe (2018)

- An indomitable force: The child as a source of inspiration

- New Nuances: Female artists in and around Cobra (2019)

- This is Surrealism! The Boijmans Masterpieces (2020)