rest and remember

until May 25, 2026

Rest and Remember is the first solo museum exhibition in Haarlem by the internationally recognized visual artist Jacobien de Rooij (1947, Rotterdam). She has lived and worked in HaarlemThis overview presents her earliest works alongside her most recent large-format pastel drawings. Her work is deeply rooted in her personal experience of nature and creates a rare moment of mental breathing space in a crowded, fast-paced world. 

A journey through De Rooij's life and oeuvre

The exhibition begins with her early work, which touches on small subjects taken from her personal life and home environment: watercolors of sweets and toys, drawings of her family members, and paintings of her beloved cat and its accessories.

The 1980s marked the beginning of a new phase in her oeuvre and working method. De Rooij began drawing landscapes. She ventured out into the world, first close to home and on a small scale, later further afield and on an increasingly large scale. What began with small landscapes of the sea, sky, and rocks in Brittany grew into an endless series of monumental drawings that captured the grandeur of the landscape. Characteristic of De Rooij's working method is that she never draws directly from nature, but always from memory. She continually asks herself: How do I remember it?  This question is the starting point for every drawing.

The power of age

The retrospective exhibition comes at a time when De Rooij has been active as an artist for over half a century. Her work is included in countless museum, corporate, and private collections, both nationally and internationally. Her long, successful career is not a hindrance, but rather a source of strength. In the spirit of American author Susan Gubar, who, in her recently published book Grand Finales: The Creative Longevity of Women Artists In describing older female artists who refuse to be pigeonholed into “Little-old-lady-land,” De Rooij shows that growing older offers space and freedom for innovation.

 “They keep searching, pushing and trying new things, they have an in-your-face audacity that speaks a drive to keep on realizing one's own potential. They found freedom in old age — no domestic obligations, sexual objectification, dominion of men.” — Susan Gubar

Yoga and mindfulness in the museum

Following De Rooij's monumental landscapes that transport you into nature, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on their own relationship with nature, time, and environment. Research has shown that experiencing art and nature is beneficial for mental well-being. Verwey Museum Haarlem Therefore, the museum organizes activities that promote peace and reflection, such as yoga and mindfulness, and special moments outside regular opening hours where small numbers of visitors can experience the exhibition in silence. The museum also opts for a low-stimulus design, calming lighting, and acoustics.