Artists in the Show (All Artist Biographies):
Tony Andreas, Sylvie Bonnot, Peter Blake, Jim Dine, Tracey Emin, Elizabeth Frink, Beppie Gielkens, Barbara Hepworth, Damien Hirst, David Hockney, John Hoyland, Jasper Johns, André de Jong, Robert Longo, Henry Moore, Robert Motherwell, Yoko Ono, Julian Opie, Robert Rauschenberg, Bridget Riley, James Rosenquist, Christopher Springham, André Stempfel, Mary Sue, Donald Sultan, Dilruba Tayfun, Elsa Tomkowiak, Margret Wibmer, Jean-Charles Wundele, Zhu Hong, Banksy

In celebration of the 750^th anniversary of Amsterdam and the opening of the second decade of The Merchant House (TMH) dedicated to art in the city, we present Collecting I: Bridges. This special exhibition explores the transformative nature of art collecting as an open-ended conversation among collectors, artists, artworks, galleries, art professionals, and audiences. At the heart of the show are works from the collection of the London- and Amsterdam-based collector and sustainability entrepreneur Christopher Springham FRSA.

“This show highlights the important role—of supporting and preserving art—that we can all play. It’s a great occasion to see TMH’s artists alongside the works chosen by Christopher Springham with such passion.” —Marsha Plotnitsky, Founding Artistic Director of TMH

The collection of Christopher Springham FRSA, noted as an “Important British Collection” by Sotheby’s, comprises American Pop and Abstract artists of the 1980s and 1990s, Young British Artists (YBA’s), and contemporary and new media artists with a strong presence in Amsterdam and London. Since 2024, Springham’s collection has been exhibited virtually at The Bridge Gallery, curated by Anastasia Nefedova. Please follow the link for a full online view of the collection, with more artists and works, including by Brian Eno, Joan Miró, Camille Walala, and Ai Weiwei, among others: www.kunstmatrix.com/en/the-bridge-gallery

The Merchant House (TMH), founded by Marsha Plotnitsky, showcases international and Dutch innovators with extended exhibitions, events, and dedicated catalogues/artist’s books. Since it first opened its doors in 2013, TMH has become known as a modern take on the Dutch tradition of a merchant—a vibrant art space freely open to the public. Browse through our upcoming (and past) events here.