Co-worker Monday:
Judith Kadee

A lot has changed in the world since the corona crisis. This is also the case at Escher in The Palace. Our colleagues are happy to tell you about these new times in the museum and their own function in our Co-worker Monday.

Curator Judith Kadee

What is your job at Escher in The Palace?

My name is Judith Kadee and I’m the curator of Escher in The Palace. My work focuses on the artistic elements of the museum. I organize the temporary exhibitions and I write all the museum texts. I also make sure that the large Escher collection is well preserved and from time to time I help to acquire new prints. Also I do a lot of research on Escher and the beautiful palace of Queen Emma, the Queen Mother.

What is your favourite artwork?

At this moment it’s the print Double Planetoid. It’s a relatively unknown wood engraving, but it really is an undiscovered treasure if you ask me! It is a round print, where two different worlds come together on one planet. The two tetrahedrons intersect. A tetrahedron covered with a rugged landscape, wild plants and even dinosaurs crosses the tight and orderly human world. They look like two completely different realities, but actually they are one and even need each other to exist. Escher’s playful mind comes out very clearly in this print. For my job I occasionally go to the depot to look at the prints and this one made a deep impression on me. I was able to walk around it, so new details stood out to me from every corner. Being able to view Escher’s prints this way really feels like an honour.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

One of the best things in my opinion is that I’m constantly working with the art itself. For example, I can determine which of Escher’s prints we show to the visitors. I am also able to view the prints in peace, for example in the depot. Then I feel like a kid in the candy store. As a curator I keep on learning and discovering. And the research, reading and learning (luckily!) never ends.

What makes Escher’s art on this location so special?

Escher in The Palace is unique in the museum industry. It’s not just art hung in a museum building; the museum itself tells an extraordinary story. Escher’s playful, astonishing prints opposite to the splendour of a royal palace. I believe it’s a very special combination of two seemingly different worlds. In a way they come together beautifully, just like Double Planetoid.

How did you fall in love with Escher’s work?

One of the reasons I became a fan of Escher’s work is his print Bond of Union. This print was on the backside of a book at my parents’ home and as a child I was so fascinated by the image. It created a bond between me and his work. My love for Escher’s art originated from this print.