Cobra Museum of Modern Art

In 1948 Cobra caused a revolution in the Netherlands; a breakthrough in modern art that reverberates in art to this day. The Cobra Museum of Modern Art in Amstelveen was founded in 1995 and ensures that the legacy of the Cobra movement remains in the public eye and keeps the philosophy of the artists alive. That philosophy is much broader than the artwork and the poetry that spawned it. The Cobra artists had a working attitude that is still relevant today. They sought a connection between the people and art. By breaking down the walls between the different artistic disciplines, they worked in a multidisciplinary way. They spoke about the formation of society. They worked together as a group, inspired each other and had a greater impact together.

The museum is the place where the spirit of Cobra – experimentation and expression in art – is emphasised. The museum houses a large Cobra collection comprised of artworks and documentary material that are continuously expanded and from which diverse presentations are created. The museum is a centre of international expertise in the CoBrA legacy. It researches, and it advises other museums.

The Cobra Museum displays its collection in varying compositions in the exhibition rooms. It also has major temporary exhibitions; for example, by individual CoBrA members, by contemporaries, of related trends and by contemporary artists working in the Cobra tradition. In the Cobra Museum of Modern Art, the art of Cobra, modern and contemporary art go hand in hand. The exhibitions are supplemented with cultural and educational activities that broaden the insights into the movement’s relevance to art history and society.