Ryan Gander x Edgar Degas

In honour of the exhibition, Ryan Gander X Edgar Degas – Pas de Deux at Museum Beelden aan Zee, this catalogue brings together a myriad of texts that explore the work of contemporary artist Ryan Gander, and the historical influence of Edgar Degas. An introduction by the museum’s Director Brigitte Bloksma discusses the conception of the project, followed by an essay by the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen’s Sandra Kisters, which dives into the historical and modern perceptions of Degas’s Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans (1880-81). Lydia Figes’ interview with Ryan Gander himself articulates the artist’s long-standing interest in Degas’s ballerina, offering deeper understanding of his curiosity in the dynamics of museum spectatorship. Lastly, alongside the full overview of works on display, the catalogue assembles quotes from fourteen year olds, all of whom were invited by the museum to participate in the ongoing interpretation of Gander’s series that playfully refer back to Degas.