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Stairway to...?
an exhibition about ladders and stairs featuring more than 40 artists
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1968 Schaalmodel voor ludieke trap, photo Tom Haartsen
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1968 Schaalmodel voor ludieke trap, photo Tom Haartsen
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Ludieke trap at "Weg wezen: Recreatie vroeger, nu en straks"
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Ludieke trap-reconstruction at Kunstmuseum Den Haag, 2016
About ladders and stairs
Both ladders and stairs are designed with a clear functional mission: to bridge physical heights. Their simple lines and geometric shapes contribute to their aesthetic appeal. They help us literally up and down, but also figuratively—through growth, change, and ambition. Sometimes we climb steadily, sometimes we stumble, and sometimes we feel the urge to find a way out.
But ladders are more than a tool or a metaphor for success; they tell the story of transformation, of the human journey between the earthly and the higher. They appear in myths and stories, such as Jacob’s heavenly ladder, which reflects the connection between man and the divine.
The social ladder shows how people strive for progress, sometimes facing obstacles, sometimes encountering opportunities. The escalation and de-escalation ladders show how small steps in the right or wrong direction can be decisive in relationships and conflicts. The escape ladder may indicate danger, but it also symbolizes hope and a new beginning.
Involved partners
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Ludieke trap-reconstruction at Kunstmuseum Den Haag, 2016
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Schaalmodel voor ludieke trap, 1968
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Ludieke trap at "Weg wezen: Recreatie vroeger, nu en straks"
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Reason for the exhibition Stairway to..? is the monument The Ladder by Armando, the war memorial that stands near the entrance road to Amersfoort-South.
This exhibition has an annex in the Elleboogkerk, Langegracht 36 in Amersfoort. From January 31, 2026, through August 30, 2026, work by Stephen Dean, which displays large-scale ladder sculptures made of dichroic, two-color glass. This glass has a transmitted color and a completely different reflective color; these two colors change depending on the viewing angle.
The exhibition Stairway to…? is a brief exploration of the many faces of ladders and stairs through the eyes of visual artists and designers.
The ladder is ultimately a symbol of escape and transformation. Sometimes a struggle, sometimes a fluid movement, but always a journey—whether that be to a higher consciousness, a new opportunity, or a personal victory.
Where does your ladder lead?
Participating artists:
Simone Albers | Nora Aurrekoetxea | Tanya Aguiñiga | Armando | Lucienne Bestall | William Blake | Ricardo Brey | Yoann Bourgeois | Kevin van Braak | Elsemarijn Bruys | Cai Guo-Qiang | Koos Buster | Stephen Dean | Elmgreen & Dragset | M.C. Escher | Albert Fiks | Frank Halmans | Hans Hemmert | Niels Hoebers | Jordanus Hoorn | Thomas Huber | Joost Hutjes | Richard Hutten | Rein Jansma | Isaac Julien | Arthur Kleinjan | Pyke Koch | Rebecca Lillich // Krüger & Ahmad Mallah | Gordon Matta-Clark | Bart Lunenburg | Jorge Macchi | Adeline de Monseignat | studio MOTO | Eva Nielsen | Constant Nieuwenhuis | Erwin Olaf | Anton Pieck | André Pielage | Giovanni Battista Piranesi | Adrian Paci | Jan Ros | Alessandra Tesi | Max Tohline | Art van Triest | Jaap Veenendaal | Helen Verhoeven | Jan die Wael | Jan Hendrik Weissenbruch | Balder Westein | Johan de Wit | Michael Wolf | John Wood & Paul Harrison
Commissions for new work: Simone Albers, Elsemarijn Bruys, Joost Hutjes, Richard Hutten, Art van Triest.
Under the guidance of Richard Hutten, Nimeto students drew inspiration from the exhibition and will present their final results in the exhibition.
