Thijs Rinsema, a cobbler from Drachten, a town in the Frisian region, gained recognition as a prominent member of the famous art movement De Stijl. His work was displayed at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Tate Modern in London.
The Museum Drachten is hosting the first major retrospective exhibition of Thijs Rinsema’s (1877-1947) work. The exhibition also pays tribute to his equally exceptional brother, Evert Rinsema (1880-1958). Additionally, the Museum Belvédère in Heerenveen has a small exhibition featuring Thijs’ Stijl furniture pieces and some of his paintings.
These craftsmen are skilled in creating perfect pairs of shoes with a piece of leather, but they are also well-read and have an interest in philosophy and modern art. Thijs paints while Evert writes and, during his military service, gets to know the artist Theo van Doesburg. This encounter opens up a whole new world for the brothers.
Thijs is deeply moved by De Stijl and, in the early 1920s, transforms his shop and living room. To the amazement of the people of Drachten, these spaces are adorned with the primary colors of the art movement: white walls with yellow, red, and blue accents. It becomes an incredible sight to behold.
Rinsema is already painting at this time. He learns to paint by imitating medieval art as well as works by modern artists like Picasso and Kandinsky. Following Van Doesburg’s advice, he begins creating still lifes and portraits. “Family, neighbors, and acquaintances are all subject to his artistry,” writes Thijs Rinsema’s grandson in his study ‘Thijs and Evert Rinsema, Independent and Versatile’.
Posing for Thijs is a challenge. The cobbler-painter works slowly, and customers in the shop disrupt the process. “Naturally, they all found it quite peculiar in Drachten,” says Thijs’ grandson. However, the eccentric cobbler is unperturbed and enjoys his newfound status.
In 1923, the Dadaist Kurt Schwitters visits Drachten. Van Doesburg had written to him about two remarkable individuals in Friesland, which Schwitters finds fascinating. At the round table in the Stijl room, he creates collages with Thijs using newspaper clippings, leaves, and advertising materials. These collages, now worth a fortune, are displayed at the exhibition.
The pinnacle of their friendship is a gathering in 1923 in a hall at a local hotel. Schwitters performs and recites his poems, one of which is in the Frisian language. He also presents his famous sound-image poem with the lines: “We strive to remain w88888” (referring to the town name Dr8888 – Drachten). Thus, Drachten becomes forever connected to Dada.
www.ftn-books.com has 2 important publications on Rinsema now available.
