Charley Toorop and Pyke Koch paired in Museum More exhibition

Museum More in Gorssel presents 'Charley Toorop & Pyke Koch – Alles of niets', the first exhibition to directly compare the two Dutch painters. The show, curated by Carel Blotkamp and Mieke Rijnders, juxtaposes works from both artists across themes like still lifes, portraits, seasons, landscapes, and fair scenes. Toorop (1891-1955) and Koch (1901-1991) shared a realistic style and a personal connection—Koch admired Toorop and was influenced by her early work. The exhibition includes well-known pieces such as Toorop's 'Maaltijd der vrienden' (1932-33) and Koch's 'De schiettent' (1931), alongside lesser-known works from private collections. However, the show notably omits the political divergence between the two: Toorop was a socialist/communist, while Koch joined the fascist Verdinaso in 1934 and later the Kultuurkamer under Nazi occupation. Koch's 'Zelfportret met zwarte doek' (1937) became a symbol of the Kultuurkamer; he was convicted in 1950 and banned from exhibiting for a year. The exhibition focuses on visual similarities, leaving out this biographical context, which the review considers a shortcoming given current political rises of far-right parties.