New Museum of Street Art Opening in Amsterdam

A new museum opens in the Netherlands. And it does so by choosing for the opening two contemporary leaders and two iconic and controversial figures: Andy Warhol and Banksy.

It’s called Moco Museum: it will open to the public on April 9th , with the aim of offering a wide cross section of research in the last century and today.

From the Museum’s statement:
“The Modern Contemporary (Moco) Museum Amsterdam wants to make a wide range of modern and contemporary art available to the general public. Moco Museum focuses on proven pioneers and protagonists, the so-called ” Rock Stars of Art” within various art movements. With exciting exhibitions and high-profile guest curators, Moco fulfils the need of a large audience. The wish to take a glance in to the art world which is usually hidden to the public”.

The museum is located in Villa Alsberg, which is set in the middle of the Amsterdam Museumplein. This townhouse was designed in 1904 by Eduard Cuypers, cousin of the renowned Pierre Cuypers who was responsible for the Rijksmuseum, which is on the opposite side of the square. The restyling of all the quarters was done by Studio Piet Boon. Within the museum you will find a museum shop as well as a vegetarian restaurant and it is possible to host events there.

The museum is a private initiative of gallery owners Lionel and Kim Logchies, and the artworks are made available by their carefully accumulated international network. A part of the earnings will be donated to charities that are close to the couples hearts.

For decades Lionel and Kim Logchies worked with renowned artists like Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Jean Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Picasso and Salvador Dali. But they have also developed a big interest in the up and coming Street Art movement and they keep themselves up to date about all novelties within the underground scene, led by the new Warhol of the street art, Banksy. Names that will follow are Os Gemeos, KAWS and Maya Hayuk.