Museum MORE presents the first solo museum exhibition of work by Koos Buster: It could have been different. Armed with clay and a hefty dose of humour, Buster places the everyday things around us on a pedestal: from fire extinguisher to stepladder, and from beer bottle to water cooler. In his characteristic lumpy style, he transforms commonplace objects into ceramic artworks. This is his attempt to bring a touch of joy to the world.
Celebrate life
Most of the work in the following galleries is new, made especially for this exhibition. Each gallery has its own theme, which the artist explains in this visitor’s guide. Koos Buster mainly uses clay, and has hence dubbed himself the Minister of Ceramic Affairs. He also uses traditional hand-blown glass, working together with glass-blowers in Leerdam. His work is often somewhat ambiguous. At first glance, the skilfully made objects appear light-hearted, but fundamental personal events are often at their core. The title of the exhibition, It could have been different, is also open to interpretation: ‘The text is from my favourite song by [Dutch singer] Gordon’, explains Buster. But the title is also a specific reference to his first true love. ‘My drive to create, and through that to celebrate life, was ignited by Tex, who is no longer with us. This exhibition is dedicated to her’.
About the artist
Koos Buster (1991) studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, and graduated in 2018. Since then, his work has received critical acclaim in the art world. He has exhibited at museums and galleries including Museum Beelden aan Zee, the Nationaal Glasmuseum and Galerie Vriend van Bavink, and his work has been acquired for various public and private collections. Please note that not all of the exhibited works have been included in this guide, and works may be exhibited in a different gallery than stated here. And perhaps the work isn’t on display at all, or its appearance may have changed. For Koos Buster, the creative process never stops. After all, it could have been different.
