Adriaan van Dis returns to Bergen aan Zee with 'Mijn kust' for his 80th birthday: 'I remember everything, down to the millimeter'
Adriaan van Dis is celebrating his 80th birthday with a book and exhibition titled Mijn kust, produced in collaboration with artist Harald Vlugt. The project explores the author's childhood memories of the Dutch coastal village of Bergen aan Zee through a blend of prose, poetry, and three-dimensional artwork.
Author Adriaan van Dis is celebrating his 80th birthday with a new book titled Mijn kust and a corresponding exhibition at Museum Kranenburgh. Collaborating with artist Harald Vlugt, Van Dis revisits his formative childhood years in the village of Bergen aan Zee, a recurring theme in his long literary career. The book features a collection of new and rewritten prose and poetry that serves as the foundation for the visual artworks created by Vlugt.
Vlugt spent over a year in his Amsterdam studio transforming Van Dis' memories into diverse, three-dimensional pieces. Among the highlights is an intricate assemblage depicting the historic Bello steam train, which carries significant personal weight for the writer due to his father's traumatic past. The exhibition, which includes audio fragments read by Van Dis, aims to capture the specific atmosphere of the coastal village. This project offers an intimate glimpse into the author's early life, connecting his personal narrative with the broader history of the region.
Based on reporting by parool. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
