TRANS-FORM
Exhibition
From 19 April to 31 August, TRANS-FORM will take place. A solo presentation of work in which visual artist Guido Geelen examines the dynamics of constant change.
Geelen’s 11 works of art respond to the monumental space of the church and enter into dialogue with the many transformations that the monument has experienced.
When TRANS-FORM is over, Geelen will also leave behind a permanent change. He is responsible for the design of the new artwork to be realised on the outer facade of the Grote Kerk Breda in 2026.
Human Hand
Guido Geelen created this series of candlesticks especially for the exhibition TRANS-FORM. The holes and indentations on the sides of the candlesticks reveal how Geelen has formed the candlesticks with his own hands. The initial shape of each candlestick is the same: a rectangular loaf of clay. From there, Guido starts modelling the clay until, through repeated gripping and pinching in different places, an elongated round shape is created.
Ambulatory
This approach is consistent with the way in which Geelen designed the exterior of the ambulatory. His design is based on ‘the human hand’, a reference to the creative power, but above all to the hands of the artists and craftsmen who have been shaping the world around us for centuries. Where artists first started signing their work 500 years ago during the Renaissance, Geelen will now give shape to several empty spaces on the east side of the ambulatory in 2026.
Geelen also presents Untitled (Hein – Butterfly Population Africa). By placing the butterflies around human figures, Geelen draws attention to the remarkable life cycle of the insect. Whereas the flowers in other sculptures in the Grote Kerk Breda slowly wither away, the butterflies undergo an almost opposite metamorphosis. They begin as a caterpillar and eventually emerge as a fluttering array of colours.
Untitled (Hein – Butterfly Population Africa) is part of a series of six figures, all surrounded by butterflies and placed in the same type of display case. Each individual display case represents the butterfly population of a continent. The six showcases together form the world.
Even though I work with clay as the basis for my sculptures, I am not at all ceramic-minded! I’m interested in very different layers of meanings. Guido Geelenin conversation with Antje von Graevenitz, 1990
New Perspectives
In 2024 the Grote Kerk Breda launched the series New Perspectives, an annual solo presentation by a contemporary artist whose work enters into dialogue with the storied history of the church. TRANS-FORM with work by Guido Geelen is the second presentation in this series, after Maria Roosen kicked things off last year with RE-BELLE.
about the artist
Guido Geelen
Guido Geelen was born in Thorn, Limburg, in 1961. He attended the Academie voor Beeldende Vorming in Tilburg and lives and works on the outskirts of the city. Geelen’s work is bold, energetic and ambiguous. He has an unorthodox take on the use of materials such as clay, bronze, iron and aluminium, and his spatial works are always surprising and appealing.
Since the mid-1980s he has been working with ceramics: objects made of fired clay. At that time ceramics were mainly associated with functional and decorative objects, such as vases or bowls. It was considered more a traditional craft than an innovative material for visual art. Geelen breaks through these preconceptions and elevates clay to an important and valued material in the visual arts.
Guido Geelen’s work is included in the collections of various renowned museums, such as the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, De Pont in Tilburg and the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.
Explore artisanal Breda
With the artwork Guido Geelen is designing for the exterior facade of the church, he joins a long line of artists and craftsmen who have added work to the Grote Kerk Breda. Combine a visit to TRANS-FORM with the walk ‘Explore Artisanal Breda’ and get to know old and new crafts and their makers. The route is available for free at the counter, in the Explore Breda app or online via the button below.
Before or after your visit, let yourself be surprised by everything else the city has to offer and feel welcome in hospitable Breda. More info, including information on where to stay, can be found here.
Route and parking
Coming by train? The Grote Kerk Breda is a 10-minute walk from Breda railway station. The church is also easily accessible by bus. You can walk to us in a few minutes from the Karnemelkstraat or Oude Vest bus stops.
Coming by bike or moped? Then park in one of the free bicycle parking facilities. Improperly parked bicycles are regularly removed by the municipality.
Coming by car? The car parks De Prins and De Barones are closest to the Grote Kerk Breda. Click here for general information on parking in Breda.
