In 2016, 's-Hertogenbosch will commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of the painter Jheronimus Bosch, the city's most famous son. It will be an unmissable event for the citizens of Den Bosch as well as international art lovers. The JB500 commemoration will span over 10 years, starting in 2010 and building up to 2016. The climax of the commemorations is the rare opportunity to see all of the painters work in one setting. There will be a retrospective exhibition containing all of Bosch's work, loaned from various international museums, and will take place in the Noordbrabants museum. The first festivities will begin soon. 's-Hertogenbosch wants to put itself permanently on the map as the city of Jheronimus Bosch, Hollands most important Early Netherlandish painter. An association acting under the leadership of Ad 's-Gravesande, former artistic director of the Holland Festival and Lian Duif, is coordinating the activities. The municipality is investing millions in the commemoration years. Many contemporary projects in the spirit of Bosch's genius will be produced and shown. Studio Kluif was invited, alongside two other great design studio's, to develop a top brand identity for this enormous multidisciplinary event. Kluif approached this pitch with a 360 degrees mentality and came up with a total communication plan. The result is a perfect symbiosis between conceptual thinking and contemporary graphic design. Studio Kluif was unanimously chosen as the winner of the pitch and is now busy producing the first graphic material for the JB500 event.
Jheronimus Bosch 500 logo animation, 2009
Jheronimus Bosch 500 developing the logo
An investigation was made prior to the briefing which concluded that an icon or personality, such as Jheronimus Bosch, has much more impact and is more recognizable than a more abstract theme for a municipal festivity, such as 'the chocolate days'. Therefore we logically choose the make an icon a central element in our communication plan. We drew inspiration from the way Bosch constructs his paintings using a multiplicity of elements to build a composition. The portrait of Bosch is built by combinations of symbols from diverse disciplines: dance, theatre, design, visual art, multimedia, film, investigation, literature, etc. This approach allows the possibility to construct and adapt the logo to specific themes. Therefore series of variations can be made on the same logo, while maintaining its integrity and identity.
Jheronimus Bosch 500 international campaign, 2009
Jheronimus Bosch 500 merchandising, 2009
Jheronimus Bosch 500 poster Bosch Diner, 2010
In Jheronimus Bosch’s time, the members of the Illustre Lieve Vrouwe Broederschap [Confraternity of Our Illustrious Lady] regularly met at the Zwanenbroedershuis [Swan Brothers’ House] where they offered fellow brothers and the inhabitants of ’s-Hertogenbosch a meal for them. Bosch the painter was a member of this confraternity. To emphasise the hospitality of the members, a Zwanenbroedersmaal [Swan Brothers’ Dinner] was regularly laid on.
500 years later, people will once again be dining together, though this time around it will be 500 inhabitants of
’s-Hertogenbosch. Inhabitants of ’s-Hertogenbosch neighbourhoods will offer farmers, urbanites and villagers a meal on the city’s central square, the Markt. Inhabitants with culinary aspirations from various neighbourhoods will compete to impress 500 guests and an expert jury. Which neighbourhood will come up with the best recipe and cook the tastiest meal?
Jheronimus Bosch 500 poster Bosch Art Film, 2010
Artists and designers will choose from the large range of films and videos on art and artists. Old and new productions, films seldom or never before seen in The Netherlands and always of high quality. The programme as a whole will be compiled by art historian and documentary filmmaker Paul Beek.
Jheronimus Bosch 500 poster Bosch Parade, 2010
From 2010 on, a contemporary procession of artistic creations will travel ’s-Hertogenbosch’s waterways every third week in June. A parade that does justice to Jheronimus Bosch’s creativity. The audience will be able to watch the floating, paddling and wading procession from the banks and a number of stands. Professional makers – artists, designers, composers, directors, choreographers, etc. – will get their inspiration from Bosch’s work and ideas.
Commercial Ster & Cultuur Bosch Parade, 2010
Jheronimus Bosch 500 poster Bosch Requiem, 2010
The Illustere Lieve Vrouwe Broederschap [Confraternity of Our Illustrious Lady], which Jheronimus Bosch was a member of, commemorated its deceased brothers four times a year, including on All Souls’ Day. This tradition will be reinstated as of 2010 with an annual concert in the Sint-Jan cathedral in ’s-Hertogenbosch. A requiem will be performed with every year focusing on a different stylistic era in music.
Jheronimus Bosch 500 poster BYTS, 2010
The Bosch Young Talent Show (BYTS) is a ten-day, international art event for young, promising art students. Recently graduated artists from the ‘Jheronimus Bosch cities’ (’s-Hertogenbosch, Berlin, Bruges, Brussels, Frankfurt, Ghent, Lisbon, London, Madrid, New Haven, New York, Paris, Rotterdam, Venice, Vienna, Washington) will show recent work at the AKV|St. Joost in ’s-Hertogenbosch. Artists from the ‘Jheronimus Bosch cities’ select the roughly fifty BYTS participants from Europe and the US. The artists were asked to make a cutting edge selection of the latest graduates. A challenging concept with exciting, innovative results.
Jheronimus Bosch 500 t-shirt BYTS, 2010
Exhibition design BYTS, 2010
As part of the 'Jheronimus Bosch 500'-project Studio Kluif designed all the graphics for the Bosch Young Talent Show (BYTS). This is a big art event taking place in the AKV St. Joost art school in 's-Hertogenbosch. Especially for BYTS a group of around 40 international, young artists from all the Bosch-cities (like Paris, London, New York, Berlin, etc.) have been invited to The Netherlands to give the public an insight of what's happening in the contemporary art scene.
Commercial Ster & Cultuur BYTS, 2010
Jheronimus Bosch 500 program, 2010
