In this exhibition, participants in the Meervaart Jong Studio Classes present their work to the public. Each piece shows how personal stories, curiosity, and imagination come together in art.

A year dedicated to portraiture
This season, portraiture took center stage. The young artists explored not only how to capture a face or person, but also how material, form, and technique contribute to the meaning of an artwork. They drew inspiration from artists such as Michael Borremans, Jasmijn Vermeeren, Erwin Olaf, and Lucian Freud.

The participants experimented with various ways to create a portrait: two-dimensional or three-dimensional, realistic or abstract. Sometimes they worked individually during Open Studio sessions, while at other times collaboration was the focus. This resulted in collaborative artworks in which ideas, techniques, and perspectives came together.

Discover, create, and grow
The exhibition especially demonstrates how important the creative process is. Within the studios, participants are encouraged to experiment, make mistakes, try new techniques, and develop their own visual language. The joy of discovery forms the foundation.

The exhibition is therefore more than a presentation of final results. It offers a glimpse into a school year full of creativity, perseverance, and personal growth. Each work tells something about the artist and about the journey taken to get there.

Twenty years of Meervaart Jong
For twenty years, Meervaart Jong has offered children and young people aged 2 to 16 in Amsterdam the opportunity to discover and develop their talents. In weekly classes, they explore theater, dance, music, and visual arts. They learn to collaborate, tell stories, and find their own voice—on stage, on paper, or in an installation.

The Meervaart Jong Expo is a special moment each year when this development becomes visible to family, friends, and visitors of Meervaart.

About Meervaart Expo
The exhibition is part of Meervaart Expo. In our foyer next to the Blauwe Zaal, Meervaart presents rotating exhibitions several times a year within Meervaart Expo. We provide a platform for visual artists, photographers, and illustrators whose work connects with themes that resonate in our theater program. The exhibitions offer visual depth to current issues and provide space for new voices, perspectives, and stories—often linked to our city and its residents. 

The Meervaart Jong Expo demonstrates that inspiring art is not created only by established artists. Young artists also have stories to tell—stories that surprise, move, and show how powerful imagination can be.

The exhibition can be visited in the foyer next to the Blauwe Zaal. Be surprised by the talent, creativity, and distinctive perspective of the artists of tomorrow.