The two figures, created by artist Marleen Hartjes, are part of a collection of 460 artworks. These are located not only in Van Dam’s own house but also in the home of his wife, Wilma Kuiper, two streets away. “The annex,” smiles Van Dam. The collection ranges from paintings to photography, from neon art to sculptures and watercolors. Much is available for rent or purchase via malcollection.nl, which is part of his company MALcollection. “It is my mission to share art. I want to show that it is within reach for everyone.” And that mission outweighs the need to *own* something.
Perhaps that is because he still remembers well what his life was like without art: a tad duller, after all. “Culture played no role in our home. I come from a very ordinary family; my father was a truck driver, my mother a housewife. I went to vocational school myself, where we didn't receive any art education either.” Everything changed when he joined the military. “You have a moment of happiness like that a few times in your life. I had a fellow soldier who went to the theater, attended concerts, and read literature. He encouraged me to do the same. That was when I realized: there is much more to life than football and ‘just act normal’.”
When he started working in Rotterdam, a colleague took him to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. “The museum was still free to enter back then. I remember seeing Pyke Koch’s Restful Sleepwalker for the first time. A phenomenal, sensual painting.” Now, fifty years later, Van Dam and Kuiper have donated three works to the Boijmans. “As a budding art lover, I saw so much beauty there that was collected by others. I am proud that we, in turn, can contribute something.” Van Dam can no longer imagine a life without art. He spends the lion’s share of his income on it and continues to dream of new works. But alongside his admiration, there is a down-to-earth attitude. The fragile aluminum foil ladies in the living room—well, they break sooner or later while vacuuming. Shrugging: “Then I crumple them up and put them on the windowsill as a memento.”
—— GER VAN DAM’S TIPS ——
1: BUY ART BY YOUNG MAKERS
By buying work by young artists, you kill two birds with one stone. You acquire something beautiful for a good price, and you help the artist move forward. Van Dam: “This way, you contribute to enabling him or her to buy materials again and create new works. And with a bit of luck, you can follow their development for years.” According to Van Dam, the best places to scout talent are Academie Minerva and the Frank Mohr Institute. After the graduation exhibition, you can meet emerging artists and purchase their work. “A beautiful hunting ground.”
2: PURCHASE ON INSTALLMENTS
Paying in installments doesn't have such a good reputation, but according to Van Dam, it can be a godsend—especially if you buy work directly from young artists. He and Kuiper do it regularly. “1,200 euros, for example, is quite a sum, but in 12 monthly installments, it might actually be affordable.” It is also nice for the artist, he often hears: “If multiple buyers pay in installments, you as an artist are assured of a reasonable monthly income.” Galleries affiliated with the KunstKoopregeling also offer you the option to pay in installments. The Mondriaan Fund then pays the interest.
3: PUSH YOUR LIMITS
Art can be anything, says Van Dam. Exciting, interesting, unfathomable. “It is perfectly fine for it to be a bit edgy. You don't always have to choose beauty. If you choose something you have doubts about, you learn from that: what is beauty to me, when does art have meaning for me?”
4: MAKE A BAD PURCHASE
“Life is about taking risks! If you start collecting art, you occasionally buy something you regret afterwards. That’s perfectly fine; just hang it up. If it bothers you too much, give it away. Not everything is for eternity. You also sometimes buy a sweater that doesn't fit well.”
5: GO TO ‘SCARY’ PLACES
Van Dam still remembers how nerve-wracking he found it to step into the gallery where he bought his first artwork, a screen print. “There was a sacred atmosphere. I thought: am I allowed to be here? The atmosphere in a gallery can be intimidating. You see someone sitting behind a computer and think: can I really disturb that person? But remember: that person isn't going to eat you. Ask questions; that is what that person is there for. He or she is sitting there on behalf of the artist.”
6: BORROW ART
Art Rental is a godsend, Van Dam believes. “For a relatively low amount, you have something in your home. That way, you learn to experience what suits you. Do you like the work and don't want to part with it? Then you can buy it; you will have already paid off part of it.”
7: MAKE CHOICES
If, like Van Dam, you are not a ‘rich snob,’ buying art means: making choices. Perhaps not going to a festival this year, but definitely purchasing a beautiful work. “I deliberately don’t have a car and don’t take long trips. Decide for yourself what is important to you and what isn’t.”
This article previously appeared in KUNST. magazine #1 (pp. 16 to 19), which was published on June 2, 2023.
On the weekend of June 20 and 21, 2026, you can come and admire Ger and Wilma’s art collection for the last time, and score works from it: they are moving in together and are therefore holding a unique clearance sale of around 60 works. You can find more info here.
Text: Dorien Vrieling
Photos: Siese Veenstra