125 year anniversary edition HKK

A living history.

What began in 1891 as an idiosyncratic initiative of painter Théophile de Bock and fourteen kindred spirits above café Riche on Buitenhof, grew into an association that was and still is ahead of its time. From the beginning, the Haagse Kunstkring opted for a meeting of disciplines: visual art, music, literature, theater, architecture and design. This idea still forms the core of the association.

To mark its 125th anniversary, 2016 saw the publication of this special anniversary edition: a richly illustrated publication full of stories, images, anecdotes and reflections. With contributions from members and art experts, drawings from the Golden Books, portraits of high-profile figures, posters, exhibitions, and a look at the DNA of the HKK: collaboration across disciplines, artistic freedom, and a committed attitude toward The Hague and the world.

It shows how Haagse Kunstkring reinvented itself again and again, moving with the times while maintaining its own character. And why a place like this, open, independent and content-driven, is still significant today.

125 years Haagse Kunstkring marks not a conclusion, but a moment of reflection. An interim of an association that continues to make, think, show and share.

The full anniversary issue can be read online at the link below.