The majority of the sculptures in the exhibition were created over the past 25 years. Armando’s earliest bronze works are mostly iconic objects—a flag (Fahne) or a fragment (Bruchstück). Later, human figures begin to emerge. Though roughly shaped like bodies, they remain anonymous and unfinished. Armando referred to them as Gestalten—figures or forms. These elusive presences, both human and inhuman, were first shaped in clay and later cast in bronze.
The Tragedy of Being Human
In the exhibition, Armando’s sculptures are flanked by paintings in which the same subjects or motifs recur—sometimes literally, more often on an associative level. But the theme that resonates through all his works, and permeates his entire oeuvre, is the tragedy of human existence. His art is about the human being—the mortal being—navigating life, veering between good and evil, guilt and innocence, perpetrator and victim.
Transience and Melancholy
Armando came to know the tragedy of humanity during the Second World War. As a boy of around twelve, he witnessed the movements of prisoners and guards in the concentration camp near Amersfoort, in the forests surrounding his hometown. He saw the evil of which humans are capable—the evil that rises to the surface in war and conflict.
Armando was a witness. One who chose not to cover up the painful and uncomfortable memory of what had taken place, but to let it persist. He gave shape to his observations in many forms: from bronze figures of elusive, spectral forms to painted landscapes that have lost their innocence. Yet always, his visual work is imbued with a sense of transience and melancholy.
About the Exhibition
Armando – Gestalten presents the artist in all his versatility. In addition to sculptures and paintings, the exhibition includes several preparatory sketches Armando made for his bronze figures. Fragments of his poetry and prose accompany the visual works. The exhibition was created in close collaboration with the Armando Stichting and was curated by Josien Beltman and Sigrid Bruijel.
More Armando
In March 2023, the book Ik bel je wel als ik dood ben. Gesprekken met Armando (I’ll Call You When I’m Dead: Conversations with Armando) will be published, written by Cherry Duyns. Duyns—writer, filmmaker, and theatre director—was a close friend of Armando’s for over fifty years. Starting 18 March, the exhibition Armando: Through the Eyes of a Friend will open at Museum van Bommel van Dam, featuring works by Armando alongside excerpts from Duyns’ book.
Collaboration with the Beats & Rhymes Minor at ArtEZ Pop Academy
In response to the exhibition Armando – Gestalten, students from the Beats & Rhymes minor at ArtEZ Pop Academy wrote original tracks inspired by the work of artist Armando. These songs were performed live for the first time during RMTnext on 25 May, and remained available throughout the rest of the exhibition via a dedicated audio tour.
