This years Starred by at PAN Amsterdam
This year we invited Jacquill G. Basdew, Jeroen and Jasper Krabbé – our first duo – and Cathelijne Blok.
Jacquill G. Basdew is a socio-cultural initiator, curator, and board member. Described by Tate Britain as “an emerging voice in the international arts and culture landscape,” he represents a new generation working at the intersection of art, governance, and community. Jacquill: “For me, this selection is about the journey towards a connected society – a world in which we truly see and hear one another. But that journey begins within. It starts with self-reflection, with the courage to look at who we really are. Then comes embracing the roles we play in life, allowing emotion and vulnerability, and ultimately recognising that we are part of something greater – of nature, of each other. These five works form a symbolic path, a movement from introspection to connection. From I to we.”
Jeroen and Jasper Krabbé are a father and son whose artistic practices continue a long family tradition. Although Jeroen’s early career included acting and film, his identity as a visual artist is central. He studied painting and developed a style defined by expressive landscapes, abstraction, and explorations of colour and light. Jasper, Jeroen’s son, trained at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, graduating cum laude in 1992, before continuing his studies at the Cooper Union in New York. Since 1999, his work has been exhibited regularly in the Netherlands and internationally. Like a whirlwind father and son moved through the fair, quickly agreeing on the works they wanted to highlight. Guided by instinct, they chose pieces they’d want to live with – looking, as painters, through the eyes of makers.
Cathelijne Blok an art historian, journalist, and founder of The TittyMag, was guided by the overarching theme of accessibility. She believes art is for everyone and that it is essential in life. It can surprise you, move you, or speak to you through a particular subject or form. Art can offer reflection: on history, on the future, or simply invite you to pause and enjoy. “Art is all around us,” Cathelijne says, “and we must realise how important it is to us.”
The collaboration is intentionally light and joyful. Sometimes it leads to further storytelling, such as talks on the PAN Podium – this year both Jacquill and Cathelijne are part of the PAN Podium program – and sometimes it remains a quiet highlight within the fair itself. Either way, it serves its purpose: to create an ongoing dialogue between visitors, exhibitors, and the fair.
What started online went into physical space
Starred by began as a creative solution to a practical problem of the social media team and evolved into something part of the wider PAN audience engagement ecosystem. It brought in physical networks of our ‘stars’, it created opportunities for further storytelling at PAN Podium, press visibility and yes – online content. It’s a reminder that even small ideas can open new doors, bring in new people, and create moments of connection. Above all, it’s a positive project – one that celebrates how differently we all see.
You can find the Starred by selections on the PAN Amsterdam website and on social media, where each of our ‘Stars’ shares their personal take on the fair.
We’re thankful to have had the opportunity to develop this project together with the PAN team, and to all our Stars from past editions; Miluska van ’t Lam, Jan Dirk van der Burg, Ronald Ockhuysen, Pieter van Os, Neelie Kroes, Lonneke Gordijn, and this year’s Cathelijne Blok, Jacquill Basdew, and Jeroen & Jasper Krabbé – for helping us see PAN through new eyes.
Visit PAN Amsterdam
Open from 2 – 9 November at RAI Amsterdam. Book your tickets at pan.nl.
We hope to see you there — or online.
Image by Almicheal Fraay
