Beyond Surrealism exhibition at Boijmans Depot Rotterdam

FROM 15 NOV 2025 – 6 APR 2026 | Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen presents Beyond Surrealism, a group exhibition that brings six contemporary artists into dialogue with surrealist masterpieces from the museum’s collection. 

Image: Laure Prouvost, Blue Blume Roots (Jung), 2022. 

Contemporary artists in dialogue with surrealism

This autumn, the museum introduces Beyond Surrealism, featuring Kerstin Brätsch, Monster Chetwynd, Laure Prouvost, Tai Shani, Emma Talbot and Raphaela Vogel. Each artist has selected works from the collection to present alongside their own pieces, with several also creating new work specifically for the exhibition.

The presentation is staged in Galerie III on the fifth floor of the Depot, where visitors will see combinations of contemporary art and surrealist works rarely brought together in this way. The exhibition reflects on how surrealism continues to inspire artists to approach urgent issues through imagination.

Exploring urgent themes through imagination

According to curator Saskia van Kampen-Prein, the project shows how surrealist ideas resonate in an uncertain and volatile era. She explains that the six artists use imagination to address topics such as gender, identity, feminism and climate change, providing alternative perspectives at a time when disasters, conflict and inequality dominate the headlines.

Beyond Surrealism aims to provoke reflection and stimulate new ways of looking at the world, with visitors encountering both historical masterpieces and newly produced works in a single setting.

Surrealism as a mindset

More than a century has passed since the first surrealist manifesto was published in 1924. Over the decades, countless artists across the globe have drawn inspiration from surrealist thought, creating works that transcend conventional categories. Rather than being confined to a specific art-historical movement, surrealism is often described as a mindset or attitude towards life, one that continues to influence contemporary practice.

Practical information

• Dates: 15 November 2025 – 6 April 2026
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Location: Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, Galerie III, fifth floor

Location and directions

The Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is located at Museumpark, near the Erasmus MC and Het Nieuwe Instituut. It is a short walk from Eendrachtsplein metro station and easily accessible by tram and bicycle.