In this installation, artist Niek Hendrix presents over a hundred paintings that together depict the ever-changing story of the tulip. Since its arrival in the Netherlands around 1590, the image of this flower has been in constant flux: from rare status symbol to mass consumer product, from refined painting subject to archival material. These shifts reflect broader societal, political, and cultural transformations.

By repainting images of the tulip—sometimes in color, sometimes in grayscale—Hendrix invites us to look again: how does meaning arise? This question lies at the heart of the installation. The tulip serves as a powerful symbol for making visible the changes of the past, the present, and perhaps even the future.

On display at National Museum The Black Tulip in Lisse, the Netherlands, until januari 25th 2026