Rory Pilgrim’s Solo Exhibition Explores Connection and Solidarity

From July 13 until October 27, 2024, Landhuis Oud Amelisweerd will host a solo exhibition by the artist Rory Pilgrim. Known for their social engagement, music, and emphasis on language and dialogue, Pilgrim (Bristol, 1988) has spent around 15 years living and working in the Netherlands, developing a multifaceted oeuvre that includes song lyrics, musical compositions, videos, films, drawings, installations, and live performances.

For this exhibition, Pilgrim has selected three significant films from their career—Violently Speaking (2014), The Resounding Bell (2018), and RAFTS (2022)—alongside drawings, posters, and installations from the past 15 years. The selection process was influenced by the Dutch elections in November 2023, which reminded Pilgrim of a sense of lost solidarity post-Brexit. Through these films, Pilgrim actively seeks to create connections and open dialogues between generations and communities.

The exhibition’s scenography, developed in collaboration with Olga Micińska, is a spatial composition that includes drawings, sketchbooks, and special installations. Pilgrim’s work consistently explores forms that offer buoyancy and support, whether literally, in the form of life-rafts, safety nets, or carrier bags, or poetically, through music, fairy-tale-like drawings, or moving dialogues. This narrative tells a hopeful story about interpersonal relationships and collective visions for the future.

From 2022 to 2027, the Centraal Museum will reside at Oud Amelisweerd, offering a platform for solo exhibitions by renowned Dutch contemporary artists. Rory Pilgrim is the sixth artist featured in this series. The first floor of the mansion provides artists with the freedom to present works that interact with the historical interiors, enriching the visitor experience with a blend of contemporary art and historical context.