Writers Block | Lezing Joke de Wolf

Why, what for, and above all: how? On the practice of an art critic in 2025

On Friday 14 November at 3:00 PM, art critic Dr. Joke de Wolf will give a lecture on the practice of being an art critic in Stedelijk Museum Breda.

The Netherlands currently offers no shortage of fascinating exhibitions of both historical and contemporary art, alongside festivals and performances. Yet there seems to be little room left for genuine public debate. Drawing from her own practice, Joke de Wolf will explore the obstacles and untrodden paths faced by art criticism in the Netherlands today in 2025. Her talk will include practical tips for emerging writers, as well as a few thoughtful suggestions for policymakers.

Dr. Joke de Wolf is a full-time freelance art critic writing for, among others, Trouw and De Groene Amsterdammer. She writes about exhibitions and artists in the Netherlands and abroad. She studied art history in Amsterdam, Paris and Weimar, and earned her PhD with a dissertation on the Parisian photographer Charles Marville. In March 2025, her book Het moedermodel: On Art, Women and Motherhood was published by Atlas Contact. She is also the chair of AICA Netherlands, the Dutch branch of the international association of art critics AICA International.

The lecture is part of the Writers Block programme, in which Witte Rook encourages the writing talent of art professionals within the field of visual arts.

Please note: registration is required and the lecture will be in Dutch.

Writers Block — Writers Block was initiated by Witte Rook to stimulate the writing talent of art professionals within the field of visual art. Based on the notion that language always plays a vital role in the arts, Writers Block is designed to explore the various positions text can take – from research to storytelling.