Upcoming Expo

Side by Side | Mondrian in Dialogue

February 7 – October 11, 2026

Museum Villa Mondriaan, Winterswijk

In 2026, Museum Villa Mondriaan will present the exhibition Side by Side | Mondrian in Dialogue, in which visitors are invited to literally and figuratively step into the world of Piet Mondrian and his contemporaries. In the villa where Mondrian laid the foundations for his artistic career, the exhibition shows the ground on which his artistry grew and how he developed into one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.

Museum Villa Mondriaan is the museum for coming of age. The development of the young Mondrian is central: what shaped him, who influenced him, and what environment nourished his early work? Zij aan Zij | Mondriaan in Dialogue offers insight into the artistic, cultural, and personal context in which Mondrian grew up and sought his way as an artist.

The exhibition brings together Mondrian’s early work with that of his predecessors, teachers, and contemporaries. On display are works by artists from the 19th and early 20th centuries, including members of the Hague and Laren Schools, Impressionist influences, artists from Mondrian’s immediate circle, and several older masters. By displaying these works side by side, it becomes clear how Mondrian’s visual language is rooted in existing traditions and how he gradually breaks away from them.

Mondrian’s paintings and drawings are linked to works by teachers, friends, acquaintances, fellow students, and colleagues. These ‘pairs’ reveal both similarities and differences in representation, technique, and style, and clarify the choices Mondrian made on his way to his later, iconic abstraction.

The layout of the exhibition reinforces this dialogue: the works are literally presented side by side in the exhibition rooms. Visitors are invited to make their own connections and discover how the young Mondrian, nourished by his environment and contemporaries, grew into an innovative artist of international significance.