Female Voices in Art: Marjan Brouwer, Director of Museum Klooster Ter Apel
"There is still a world to be won in terms of female representation in the art world"
Marjan Brouwer (b. 1979, Groningen, The Netherlands) is currently director of Museum Klooster Ter Apel, but in this photograph she was still curator of Museum Martena and the Eise Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker. She holds an MA in History from the University of Groningen, and has a preference for the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Marjan has been working in Museum Martena since 2005 and has made various exhibitions about Frisian (art) history, such as Pjutten en beukers. Frisian children's portraits 1550-1800. Marjan is also curator of the important collection of works of art and manuscripts by the artist and scholar Anna Maria van Schurman (1607-1678). Since 2019, Marjan has been enthusiastic about a multi-sensory approach to make the museum tangible and lively. She strives for an accessible and, above all, fun museum visit for everyone.
Could you tell us something about your role in the art world?
I think about the role that objects play in the experience of history, and the tinge of sanctity that surrounds museum objects. I try to make objects come closer: no strings and as few display cases as possible. This gives a different experience and makes history more accessible.
What did you enjoy about being a part of this project?
I feel honoured to be able to participate in this project, wearing clothes by SeeFeel and holding a work of art by Anna Maria van Schurman (1607-1678), not coincidentally also a woman.
Do you have a favourite artist?
One of my favorite artists is Anna Maria van Schurman, because she is so versatile and unique as a female artist in her century. She made fantastic paintings, woodcarvings, drawings, glass engravings, cuttings and sculptures, all in miniature format.
What is your earliest memory involving art?
I don’t recall …
Do you have any special thoughts about the position of women in the art world?
Anna Maria van Schurman profiled herself much more as a scholar than as an artist. Since the female sex was considered incapable of such activities, her art and science attracted a lot of attention from men. This is certainly no longer the case, but there is still a world to be won in terms of female representation in the art world.
What are you wearing, and is there a story behind it?
I wear clothes by SeeFeel, a label, designed by Rachel Lourens. The clothes are specially designed for women with a visual impairment and are interesting to touch. It’s very important to me that the museum collection is accessible to people with or without a disability and this clothing label is therefore made for me.
What are you working on?
I have been working on making Museum Martena just as accessible for people with and without a disability.
Could you mention a project, an institution that, or a person who has been important in/inspiring for your career and why?
My visually impaired son has been an inspiration to me lately. A few years ago we visited a large museum together and I suddenly realized: there is nothing for him to experience here. From that moment on I've been dealing with the question: what does a successful museum visit look like if you can't see, hear, walk, or if you can't read or concentrate very well? A world of possibilities has opened up for me, from which everyone benefits, with or without a disability. Museum Klooster Ter Apel, the museum I work these days, will be built on the same footing in the coming years.
