Colourful walls at the Groninger Museum
The Netherlands | Always wanted to draw on a museum wall? At 151 Boeken (151 Books) by artist Hedy Tjin at the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands, it is allowed. Her work is part of the Kinderbiënnale (Children's Biennial), an exhibition full of art where visitors can draw, build and play. The Children's Biennial - A Better Place can be seen until the 3rd of November 2024 at the Groninger Museum. - Photo by Corné Sparidaens
Colour the exhibition
For the Children's Biennial, Tjin created an artwork in which her colourful illustrations bring to life a poem by Pim Lammers. The underlying message: being able to be who you are. Besides the illustrations, she made line drawings on the museum walls and paper cards. Visitors can get to work themselves with all kinds of drawing materials and complete the illustrations. They are encouraged to give colour to their ideas about who you can be. This ultimately creates a more diverse, and therefore more realistic, picture of society in which everyone can feel at home.
About Hedy Tjin
Hedy Tjin (1985) is known for her murals, textiles, illustrations for newspapers and children's books. She lives and works in Amsterdam, but her art has a strong connection to her homeland Suriname. Her work is characterised by cultural and ethnic themes. Central to this is the use of powerful colours.
Surface surfing
At the work of Florien Riezebos, Surfacesurfing, visitors may also create their own art using colourful materials. Her linocut shows the world from above. It shows parts with nature and pieces of the world manipulated by humans. From the linocut, visitors can make a rubbing with wax crayons. Afterwards, the print can be hung in the museum.
Drawing material from Royal Talens
The Royal Talens Foundation provided the wax crayons, coloured pencils and paper to draw with Tjin and Riezebos' artworks. The organisation is committed to creative education worldwide and believes that creative expression brings out the best in people, thereby creating a better world. Talens wants to make creativity possible for everyone and provides all kinds of resources for this, including the colouring material for the Children's Biennial. Photo by Niels Knelis.
About the Children's Biennial - A Better Place
The Children's Biennial invites children and adults to take part in a unique and interactive art experience that encourages reflection on their idea of a better world. As many as 10 rooms full of art invite them to play, build and let their imagination run wild. Children and young people up to 18 years old are admitted free of charge.
The Children's Biennial - A Better Place is on view until 3 November 2024.
Supported projects
The Royal Talens Foundation has provided art materials to the Palestine Humanitarian Response Centre (PHRC) for their upcoming Children's Hub in Cairo. This initiative aims to offer creative outlets and trauma relief to Palestinian children who have fled Gaza and currently lack access to formal education.
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At the Royal Talens Foundation, we're delighted to share the impactful work of Villa Zapakara, a nonprofit organization in Suriname dedicated to enriching children's lives through educational and cultural programs. Their current initiative, running from August 2024 through December 2026, demonstrates how creative materials can play a vital role in connecting young people with their cultural heritage.
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The Royal Talens Foundation is proud to support Aisha & Friends in their meaningful work at the Kilifi County Referral Hospital's children's ward in Kenya. In October 2024, art supplies donated by the foundation brought creativity and joy to over 30 young patients and hospital staff.
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In a heartwarming collaboration this October, the Royal Talens Foundation provided art materials to Le Nid d'Artistes ("The Artist's Nest"), enabling 30 young artists to bring their imaginative worlds to life through creative workshops in Switzerland. The initiative specifically reached children from modest backgrounds, including young refugees from countries like Iran and Ukraine, who might otherwise not have access to quality art education.
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