De Kooning's Bronze Sculptures Installed at Rotterdam's Fenix Museum for Centenary

Three significant bronze sculptures by Willem de Kooning—Seated Woman (1969–1981), Standing Figure (1969–1984), and Reclining Figure (1969–1982)—have been placed along the waterfront adjacent to Fenix, Rotterdam's museum focused on migration. This installation commemorates the 100th anniversary of the artist's departure as a stowaway on the SS Shelley on July 18, 1926, heading to New York, where he emerged as a prominent Abstract Expressionist. The sculptures, lent by the Willem de Kooning Foundation and Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, were temporarily moved from Hofplein during its redevelopment. A smaller version of Standing Figure is showcased inside Fenix. The museum will release a bilingual book, Willem de Kooning – Rotterdam – New York, featuring contributions from Fenix director Anne Kremers, Wim Pijbes, and Rijksmuseum curator Ludo van Halem. This installation reinterprets De Kooning's narrative as a migrant, aligning with Fenix's goal to highlight migration through individual stories. In the autumn, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Art Institute of Chicago will host the largest De Kooning retrospective ever in the Netherlands. The sculptures will remain at Fenix until 2027.