Kunsthal opening night

A quick and temporary posting with some images of the Kunsthal opening of Adriaan's memorial exhibition.
When I'm done travelling (in 2 weeks): i will post more pictures.
Find here some for the impatient Americans that couldn't be there.

Margie, Teun, Ellen, Mitsy

An emotional opening where we were all happy to see each other, but so unfair that the person we were celebrating, the person that gave us so many great friends, was not amongst us.

The amazing and very functional architecture of Rem Koolhaas added to the Torch "Spectacularness"

The publication was still wet. After 3000 kilometers and many long nights (amongst 11 with no sleep): Margie Geerlinks was able to pull off the book, which ArtUnlimited published. More later!

Adriaan my Art-Father - from Colien Langerwerf

For Annie Sprinkle, Adriaan was her Art-Pimp!, for me was Adriaan my Art-Father!
From day one, back in the early ninetees, He was my: Big-Art-Daddy.
Beside a painter, I'm an performer,and at the first PORN Fair at the Markanti Plaza, and Adriaan was there to support me!
Together we fixed the set of GTST ( the first Dutch soap on national tv) with my paintings and we played a little role too!
On Camp-Art Adriaan had a Adult Road Movie-show, and a harem!, with me and my crazy friends! they loved him all! and we took the front page with a huge photo at a big daily newspaper!!!
Adriaan brought my paintings into the film : COOL, one of the movies of Theo van Gogh, and Daddy and I had popcorn at the premiere, together! with all the young deliguentes/actors of that movie.

Of course, these are just a few memories and there where also the regular shows, and Adriaan was always caring about his artist!

I loved him! for his big heart, the strange, the crazy, the high and unexspectable way of living the Art!
Where Adriaan was, there was something going on!

I ll miss you my Big-Art-Daddy!
I ll keep the TORCH burning!

Colien Langerwerf

fotos made by: Eduard bezembinder at Camp Art Amsterdam 1996

From MITSY, MO & EVA

Dear People,

Thank you for all the beautiful stories and memories about Adriaan.
We feel supported by the warmth & love.

Warm Regards,
Mitsy, Mo & Eva

Adriaan the Love Machine - from Annie Sprinkle

Adriaan the Love Machine
When I first met Adriaan in 1989 I immediately fell in love with this darling, wonderful, sexy man. Since that fateful day I have always affectionately called him my ‘art pimp.’ He plucked me from the sex industry where I had been working for years as a prostitute and porn star. He put me in several exhibitions at Torch, plus produced and published my first, and still best, book. I enjoyed the sex industry but had a big, juicy fantasy of being an artist. Adriaan helped make my fantasy into a very juicy reality.
Mitsy was of course Adriaan’s #1 gal. Rightly so! She was always delightfully warm and welcoming toward me, and I have so much respect for her. Adriaan of course had lots of women artist in his stable. I was a little jealous, and very happy, when he started to work with the fabulous Italian blonde porn star Cicciolina. Adriaan was very good to us sex worker artists. Bless his heart. We would give him our art works and he would give us back money to keep us in new high heels, sexy lingerie and big wigs. Plus we got to spread our political messages around the globe.
Adriaan will live on in my heart, and I’ll always be eternally grateful that he took me, and my work to all the best art places. Every minute being with him was sheer ecstasy. He was a love machine! And no, we never had sex. The artistic collaborations were completely satisfying.
Annie Sprinkle, Ph.D.

The Love Machine with his #1 Girl.
Here are some photos from last summer (2008). Fortunately I canceled a gig and jumped on a plane to Amsterdam to go pay my respects to Adriaan, who helped me so much over the years. Mitsy was absolutely radiant, and so in love with her man.

Adriaan always encouraged me to find a live partner-mate. He had met one or two hundred of my lovers over the years. But when I introduced him to my gal of the last seven years, artist Elizabeth Stephens, he said she was "a real keeper."

This coming August Elizabeth and I will be doing a performance art wedding in blue at the Venice Bienale. We will dedicate the entire wedding to our angel Adriaan Van Der Have.
I wouldn't be going to the Venice Bienale if it weren't for Adriaan.

Breast wishes dear Andriaan. I will always keep you in my heart next to my big boobies. You were one fine art pimp.

============

Comment by Pearl:

Oh, that was so, so sweet!
Once, in Miami, Adriaan picked himself up a souvenir t-shirt at one of the tourist traps that read:
"I don't care if they're real, as long as they're real big!"
Classic Torch! You could always laugh about boobies, jugs, and funbags with Adriaan!

May 11, 2009

From Richard Goodall - Uuunbelievable

It is hard to write this. Adriaan was my mentor, my inspiration when I opened my gallery in 2000. From the earliest moments, he was generous with advice and contacts. He introduced me to wonderful people like Margi and Anton and Eelco, not to mention Mitsy and Mo.
The first photo was taken in Amsterdam in April 2000. Adriaan explaining to me the finer points of white beer with a slice of orange..'Uuunbelievable', as only he could say.
We had an ongoing competition of who could make the most sales. Whoever was ahead was crowned 'Uno'. He made me the packet of pills based on the Dana Wyse series. Ah, but Adriaan, you will always be 'Uno'. Sharon and I will look forward to meeting old friends in Rotterdam next month.
Richard Goodall

Rotterdam : T-shirt (Tinkebell)

TINKEBELL WRITES: "Last week Catherine Somze, Rowena Dring and I, discussed with Eva (Mo's pretty girlfriend) about making a gesture at the opening of the 25 year Torch exhibition in de kunsthal on may 29th. At first we were thinking about printing t-shirts for everyone, but because a lot of Adriaan's friends are too creative to wear a 'prefab' t-shirt and Adriaan would love us all to use our creativity, we considered to sent everyone the same jpeg image, which can be used to design your own tshirt with.
It would be fantastic if everyone at the opening would wear his or her own -keep your torch burning- shirt!
Looove TINKEBELL."

.

Note from Adriaanisalive:

Click on the picture above (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsMnaPNu5_TItFd66PP_wtmJtCVM2G7w-ra-x_Gjc9V43jXSIasQEMKSoUzUxH4geSyMgoVMVantY1gjB_Vm8XBrbVOK8Zb36F-EJYFkJ5k8rrWXkmfN2kKh9A6kAehThQ4gBij_bHCQ/s1600-h/keepyourtorchburning.jpg) to see and download the bigger jpg.

But for those (like me) who are not so creative in making our own t-shirts:

Tinkebell will make you one, which she will bring to the opening at Kunsthal on May 29.

..

Simply email Tinkebell at: tinkebell@tinkebell.com

Let her know:

- black or white

- male or female

- color of text (can be anything)

- size (s, m, l, xl)

one t-shirt costs 25 euro's and Tinkebell has a paypal account, which is the easiest to use for payment: katinka@tinkebell.com when you make a payment, bu sure to mention your name.

Then I'll make sure everyone get his or her t-shirt on may 29th at de kunsthal.
thats it! :), Looove TINKEBELL.

PS: Of course people can order the shirts after the opening as well, but when you want to wear your t-shirt at the opening i need to know it before may 8th.
i will bring them all to the kunsthal so everyone can pick up his or her t-shirt at the entrance.

Rotterdam - Hotels

For those that want to stay at a hotel in Rotterdam for the May 29 Torch exhibition at the Kunsthal: simply google hotels Rotterdam:
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=Hotels+near+Kunsthal+Rotterdam&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Margi who lives in Rotterdam recommends the beautiful Hotel New York (accross the water) and Hotel Bazar (funky, but probably the type Adriaan would stay at).

This is what Kunsthal mailed me:
.
Hotel van Walsum
Mathernesserlaan 199-201 , 3014 HC Rotterdam
T.; +31 10 436 32 75 , F.: +31 10 436 44 10
E.: info@hotelvanwalsum.nl , W.; http://www.hotelvanwalsum.nl/
.
Hotel Breitner
Breitnerstraat 23 , 3015 XA Rotterdam
T.: + 31 10 436 02 62 , F.: +31 10 436 40 91
E.: info@hotelbreitner.nl , W.: http://www.hotelbreitner.nl/
.
Sometimes people stay at the Grand Hotel Philadelphia, also walking distance of the Kunsthal:
Grand Hotel Philadelphia
Van Vollenhovenstraat 48-50 , 3016 BJ Rotterdam
T.: +31 10 240 04 25 , F.: +31 10 270 97 35
E.: grandhotel@philadelphia.nl , W.: http://www.grandhotelphiladelphia.nl/
.
A little more expensive, beautiful located, but a little further away from the Kunsthal:
Hotel New York
Koninginnenhoofd 1 , 3072 AD Rotterdam
T.: +31 10 439 05 55 , F.: +31 10 484 27 01
E.: info@hotelnewyork.nl , W.: http://www.hotelnewyork.nl/
.
And near by, but most luxury of all these hotels:
Bilderberg Parkhotel
Westersingel 70 , 3015 LB Rotterdam
T.: +31 10 436 36 11 , F.: +31 10 436 42 12
E.: parkhotel@bilderberg.nl , W.: www.bilderberg.nl

Rotterdam - INVITATION - Friday May 29, 2009 (8:00 PM)

The Director of the Kunsthal Rotterdam has the pleasure
of inviting you to the opening of the exhibition
The Unforgettable Fire
25 year TORCH Gallery
. .
Friday May 29, 2009 in the evening at 8.00 PM
Wim van Krimpen will open the exhibition
The exhibition is on view from May 30th to September 6th, 2009
.

Since 1984 TORCH Gallery has been of major importance to photography in both the Netherlands and abroad. With great enthusiasm and passion gallery owner Adriaan van der Have provided a platform for talented and today well-known artists within his gallery. With a clear eye for young talent he managed to present trendsetting and sometimes controversial art. The jubilee exhibition offers work by 26 artists – one artist per year – and thus presents a varied survey of the stirring history of the gallery
.

With works by Anton Corbijn, Gerald van der Kaap, Inez van Lamsweerde,
Blommers & Schumm, Terry Rodgers, Loretta Lux, Starn Twins, Margi Geerlinks,
Sanchez Brothers, Daniëlle Kwaaitaal, Henk Tas, Twan Janssen, De Sirenen,
Alan David Tu, Annie Sprinkle, Teun Hocks, Ellen Kooi, Jochen Mülhenbrink,
Stepanek & Maslin, Martin Denker, Carolus, Daniël Kramer,
Charlemagne Palestine, Servaas, Eelco Brand and Wouter Deruytter

..
The exhibition pays homage to Adriaan van der Have
At Art Unlimited a jubilee publication is to appear, initiated by Margi Geerlinks

.

Museumpark, Westzeedijk 341, 3015 AA Rotterdam
phone +31-(0)10-4400300
fax +31-(0)10-4367152
communicatie@kunsthal.nl
www.kunsthal.nl
open:
Tuesday to Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM
Sundays and public holidays 11 AM to 5 PM
..

This invitation admits two persons
Please present this invitation at the entrance

Photo: Adriaan van der Have © Anton Corbijn

Murakami - Adriaan was first (again)

A folow up on Nico's Murakami post on April 11:

http://adriaanisalive.blogspot.com/2009/04/two-buddies-take-takashi-murakami.html

Murakami and Adriaan, Spiegelgracht, Amsterdam, 2007 (photo: Nico Delaive)

Sent to us by Nico Delaive:
In 1997: Adriaan showed Takashi Murakami as one of the first galleries outside Japan.

Murakami and Adriaan, Spiegelgracht, Amsterdam, 2007 (photo: Nico Delaive)

==================
Comment by Adriaanisalive:
Note again Adriaan's clear plastic Maastricht bag.
No: not the same one as in some former pictures. He had 100s of them ;-)

Here's the story:
Adriaan at one point organized a rather successfull side-fair when the Tefaf Maastricht artfair was on. (These are the plastic bags from his fair. Just like he did in 1984 (with Nico) outside the Amsterdam Artfair. See the post of April 13).
Tefaf was powerful enough to convince the city of Maastricht not to let such a side-fair happen again ...Can you imagine this in Miami or NewYork ...

=====================

COMMENTS:

Pearl said...
Oh! Now I know the full story of the bags! I admit that I felt a little guilty for not having bought him a more chic tote, but now I know that bag was a trophy from the rebellion!
April 17, 2009 6:21 PM

Zorgvlied

Last week Wednesday, April 8, 2009:
Adriaan was put to rest in the beautiful cemetery Zorgvlied.
According to Adriaan's wishes: it was done with his close family only.

Zorgvlied is a beautiful 138 years old cemetery at the river Amstel, just outside Amsterdam in the village Amstelveen.

Adriaan is now surrounded by many famous artists and characters like Annie MG Schmidt (writer), Herman Brood (musician and painter), Manfred Langer (former owner of the iT), Peter Gielen (former owner of The Roxy), Greet Hofmans (healer), Frank Govers (fashion), and so many more.

There are more than 2000 trees in the cemetery and lots of animals live there... Adriaan will go crazy, as much as he did when deer ate the pears off the trees at his summerhouse garden ;-)

It is a custom there that the family drinks champagne at the grave, but in the middle of the service it started pouring rain, so that was kept for the afternoon at the home of Grandma (Adriaan's mother).

Next time we drink a glass of champagne: it will be in Adriaan's name. Many times.

Prague Revolution

A folow up on Wednesday's post "Prague 1984"
http://adriaanisalive.blogspot.com/2009/04/prague-1984.html :
and of Thursday's post "From Some Secret Archives"
http://adriaanisalive.blogspot.com/2009/04/from-some-secret-archives.html
.
Jacques van de Vall has sent us these blasts from the past.
All pictures were taken by Stanislav Tuma (1950-2005) a.k.a. Standa
.
After an openings act at Mitsy's exhibition 1983
(Adriaan + Jacques + Mitsy)

In Prague, 1984

(Jacques and Adriaan)

The first location of the gallery (Van der Have) 1984.

from left to right: Mitsy, Jacques, Adriaan and Standa (Stanislav Tuma).

Adriaan at the wedding of Stanislav Tuma in Prague 1985

(Adriaan is thrith from the left)

Two buddies take Takashi Murakami

Nico writes: "twee oude maatjes pakken Takashi Murakami volta 2006
adriaan en ik nico delaive al meer dan 27 jaar maatjes speciaal in teveel eten
nico delaive"
.
Translation: "Two old buddies take Takashi Murakami at Volta 2006 (Miami).
Adriaan and I have been buddies for more than 27 years; especially into eating too much
Nico Delaive"

Rebel Rebel: 1982: Adriaan and Nico protesting

Nico Delaive writes: "Ik en adriaan in protest voor de eerste kunst beurs zelfs de politie kreeg ons niet weg zo rond 1982 ?1983 adriaan en ik zij aan zij "
.
Translation: "Me and Adriaan protesting in front of the first Art Fair. Even the police couldn't get us to leave. About 1982 or 1983. Adriaan and me; side by side."

Nico explains more: "was een kunst beurs in amsterdam een van de eerste wij ik en adriaan mochten er niet op staan dus uit protest deden we dit we hadden ook plastic tassen laten maken met mijn gallery toen nog G I N heette en adriaan zijn winkel maar nog niet de naam torch.

de beurs mensen vonden het niet leuk en stuurde de politie op ons af maar slim dat we waren hadden een vergunning gekregen . plus de tasjes dat was het mooiste iedere bezoeker had er een en liep in de beurs met onze naam niet slecht nico "

.

Translation: "It was one of the first art fairs in Amsterdam. We (Adriaan and me) were not allowed to participate. Out of protest: we had a tent outside the artfair (at the entry). We had also made plastic bags with my gallery name on it (which was then called GIN and Adriaan had his shop which was not named Torch yet.)

The artfair people did not like what we did and they sent the police at us. But we were smarter and had obtained a permit. With the plastic bags: the most satisfying was that every visitor on the fair was running around with our names. Not bad. Nico "

====================

COMMENTS:

Helen said...
Nico, That is a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing.
April 13, 2009 4:09 PM

Uncertain 2008

2008 was a very stressful year. No one knew which road Adriaan's health would take. Their New Year's card perfectly symbolizes that to me. Allow yourself a giggle and notice the sticky fly trap hanging from the ceiling.

(The card reads "Just a Happy 2008...")

-- click the picture to see it bigger - or rightclick it and then leftclick "open link in new window" --

October 2007 (Zeeland / Amsterdam)

Wouter writes: After years of not really knowing what was deteriorating Adriaans health, it is my understanding that the cancer was discovered in June 2007. When the treatment (a very advanced way of stem cell transplant) was proposed as the only way out, Adriaan very bravely did all the necessary treatments. In July he wrote me "Kahler is inderdaad erg heftig....helaas.... We doen ons best to kill the motherfucker ! (Kahler is very heavy indeed. Unfortunately. We do our best to kill the mf)".

It was all much harder than expected. Radiation, medicines, … But Adriaan kept organizing future ArtFairs and exhibitions. The right attitude. But the stemcell operation was planned around the time of ParisPhoto November 2007, so he canceled that one.

Early August he wrote "I hope I wasnt braver when I decided it than when I have to undergo it... I didnt really realize all I guess...perhaps good in the end I didnt...I need to become in a comateus situation first before getting the right cells...this means that I am technically spoken dead for a while. didnt realize either that I need 2 to 3 weeks hospital in complete isolation... (all happens oktober or early november....) So I hope when I resurrect ,that you , Ed ,Nicolas & Nathan are extra proud of me !"

In September Adriaan wrote: "Misschien lukt het niet..., Zou een medisch wonder zijn is me reeds verteld. Maar ja , dat is meteen ook een uitdaging voor me... 1 okt. 4e en laatste chemo kuur, 1/2 okt. Stamcellen inwinning, operatie hoop ik half November, dan moet 14 dagen in quarantaine...., daarna hoop ik ziekenhuis uit te mogen...misschien wishful thinking.. (Maybe it won't work ... it would be a medical miracle ... but then that's also a challenge for me ... Oct 1: 4th and last chemo treatment, mid Oct gathering stemcells , operation hopefully mid-November, have to be then 14 days in quarantine..., then hopefully leaving the hospital... maybe wishful thinking.. )

The fear kicked in and my friend and I decided to fly over to Amsterdam to try and cheer up Adriaan. That was October 2007. See pictures above.

November 2007: Treatment seems to go "well". Ofcourse Adriaan was a wreck, but he did the art fair Pulse in Miami. See pictures below (in my former posting). Upon return (Dec 12): Adriaan wrote: "Arrived few hours ago from Miami. Tomorrow early I will leave for hospital and hopefully they let me go again early january. If so that would be a good sign. No feastdays for uncle TORCH this year I am afraid.Very strange..Never was in these circumstances before...".

2008 was an unsure time for Adriaan. Not knowing which road the cancer would go. Sometimes it did seem to go quite well and doctors told him “you shouldn’t be alive now”. Many of us really thought he was a unique survivor. The treatments did give Adriaan another year. Doing several art fairs including ArtDubai, Pulse NewYork, Pulse Miami, … It all seemed to go better. We all thought that denying the cancer would trick his destiny. Then Adriaan told us maybe 1 more year. Then 5 more months. Then 2 months. And suddenly 5 days later he was gone.

December 2007 (Miami)

Mo and Adriaan on their booth at Pulse ArtFair (Miami, December 2007)

Mo, Adriaan and Pearl.

Adriaan and Estelle Rodgers.

.

(photos by Wouter)

Obituary page in newspaper

Obituary from Dutch Museums

The passing away of

ADRIAAN VAN DER HAVE
founder of TORCH Gallery

has moved us deeply.

With his sparkling personality and his brave choices, Adriaan took a special position within the art world.
We loose with him an inspiring, dynamic and a colleague full of life.

The directors and fellow-workers of
Fotomuseum Den Haag
Gemeentemuseum Den Haag
Gemeentemuseum Helmond
Groninger Museum
Kunsthal Rotterdam

===========================

COMMENTS:

Pearl said...

That is beautiful. I can't think of the last time US museums honored the passing of a gallerist.

April 11, 2009 2:45 PM

Obituary from Adriaan's family

Published in the Dutch newspaper HRC Handelsblad on April 9, 2009:

K e e p . y o u r . t o r c h . b u r n i n g

Adriaan enjoyed his life and work

to the fullest extend.
. . .

According to his wish Adriaan has been

buried amongst his immediate family only.

From Danielle Kwaaitaal

“Dear Adriaan,
Looking at this picture takes me back to the start of our collaboration, HI&LO back in 2002. Not High not Low, but Hi and LO, remember? Since then we grew into a fruitful team with my show Whispering Waters at the Groninger Museum being the heart of the rose of our friendship and collaboration. Thank you for making me grow and sharing all your incredible ideas, joy and inspiration, you’ll be missed big time. Mo, Mitsy, my heart is with you guys!
Love
Danielle Kwaaitaal”