Art

A selection from the extensive and prominent Imtech ART collection can be seen hanging on the walls of many Imtech companies. This page will give you an impression of the most renowned works and tells you something about the creation of this exceptional collection.

The ART collection came into being exactly one hundred years after the founding of Van Rietschoten en Houwens Elektrotechnische Maatschappij B.V. In 1960 the then Managing Director, Mr. W. (Willem) Nagelkerke, realised that his private collection had grown too big for him to hang at home. There was, however, plenty of space available in his business premises. Thus he came up with the idea of permanently exhibiting his collection of paintings, etchings and other works of art in his various offices. This would mean that not only could he continue to enjoy them, but his employees would also have the opportunity to become familiar with the phenomenon of art. This was, certainly at that time, a revolutionary idea. Encouraged by the enthusiasm of the employees the then Board of Management decided to rename the private collection a company collection, which would slowly but surely be expanded.

An enormous collection
The Imtech Art Collection has grown into an impressive collection.

The accent is on modern non-figurative art and includes works by Kees van Bohemen, Karel Appel, Corneille, Joe Tilson, Maurice Philips, Ritz van Kooten, Woody van Amen, Arty Grimm and Jeroen Henneman. In total the Art Collection includes around 1,250 works from both the Netherlands and abroad. It is notable that, in the spirit of its founder and source of inspiration, Nagelkerke, all the works still hang or stand in the offices and working areas of Imtech companies. This means than many of Imtech’s 28,600 employees come face to face with modern art on a daily basis.

Works are sometimes made available for exhibitions, for example in Amsterdam (Beurs van Berlage), Rotterdam (Museum Boijmans van Beuningen) and Singapore