In gesprek met kunstadviseur Tanja Karreman

In conversation with art advisor Tanja Karreman

A cabinet for your collection of books, kitchenware, model trains, hobby materials: at Lundia, we encounter the most wonderful questions, often born from a passion. That's what energizes us! That's why, under the banner of "a cabinet full of passion," we visit people who passionately share what drives them.

Introducing

Today we visit Tanja Karreman (57) in Amsterdam. She was born and raised in the Achterhoek. After secondary school, she studied art history and philosophy. These studies form a fine foundation for her current work as an art adviser. “I deal with art in public spaces,” she says. “That means art on the street, and in and on public buildings. Art that people have not asked for. That makes it different from art in a museum. There people seek an experience and art can shock. In outdoor spaces, that is almost impossible.” Yet you can also surprise people on the street with art. Tanja: “It is about making people literally and figuratively pause and think: hey, what is this?”

How did you come into contact with Lundia?

“As a child of the 1970s, I grew up with Lundia. You saw the brand everywhere at that time. My father was a teacher and many of his friends were too. They all had furniture from Lundia. So I knew early on that Lundia is unbreakable. And that you can always rebuild and adjust the cupboards. Since then I have felt like a kind of ambassador for Lundia.” A few years ago, Tanja happened to start a conversation with René from Lundia Original during an exhibition at the Amsterdam NDSM wharf. “He told me about his webshop, I told him about the house I was building. And about the huge cupboard that would become a central part of my new home.” How she was going to realise that cupboard, Tanja did not yet know. So the link with Lundia was quickly made. “I found it so nice that the brand I grew up with came my way again! Based on my wishes and ideas, René then made my cupboard to measure.”

Open houten kast met kleurrijk abstract schilderij, stapels papier en enkele boeken tegen lichte houten achtergrond

About the house

The closet plays a central role in a unique home. Tanja's apartment measures 64 square meters and is part of a complex of 24 units. This residential complex emerged from a pitch by two initiators. "In 2017, they approached the municipality of Amsterdam with a building plan they wanted to implement without the intervention of a project developer," Tanja explains. "So, it was a Collective Private Commissioning (CPC). The municipality liked the plan, and the initiators could start looking for funding for the project. I got involved during that phase. Of course, there was a risk involved, but I had complete confidence in this CPC initiative. Ultimately, 24 households participated. And the result is impressive."

About the cupboard

Tanja faced the challenge of efficiently furnishing a 64-square-meter space. The cabinet plays a key role in this. "It's essentially a huge room divider. The cabinet separates the living room on one side and my bathroom and bedroom on the other. In the living room, I use the cabinet for books, art, and other items. And on the bedroom side, it serves as a wardrobe for my clothes. An ideal solution if you live in a smaller space and need to use space efficiently." The cabinet also has another surprising function. Tanja: "An extension is being added with a pull-out wall, including a fold-out bed.* This way, people can comfortably stay over after a visit, without me needing a guest room. After all, I deliberately chose an apartment without separate rooms."

We asked Tanja to highlight something special from her wardrobe. Naturally, she chose a work of art. "This artwork reminds me a little of Mondrian's early, somewhat figurative works. It was created byFleur KottenI should ask her again what the painting symbolizes for her. I see it as a kind of heaven and earth. And sometimes, when I look through my eyelashes, it seems as if the yellow threads are coming out of the artwork. In short, a special work of art in a special cabinet.

We thank Tanja for her time and the nice conversation!

*The pull-out wall with folding bed was not yet ready during our visit and is therefore not shown in the photos.

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