100 years ago, the Oktoberrevolutie (October revolution) of 1917 had just broken out in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was still the hoofdstad (capital) of Russia at the time. Communisten (communists) took the Winterpaleis (Winter Palace) in the city, which led to an important turn of events for the entire country.

Nowadays, this Winterpaleis is the world-famous Hermitage. This state museum displays national history and tells stories from other times. And because it is so connected to the October revolution, it has a big tentoonstelling (exhibition) on the topic, called “The Winter Palace and the Hermitage in 1917. History was made here.”

The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, formerly the Winter Palace.

Why is this on the Dutch blog, you might wonder?

Because there is something special about this tentoonstelling. The Bureau Caspar Conijn, which is based in Amsterdam, was invited to work on the ontwerp (design) of the tentoonstelling. And that is extraordinary, because it is the first time that the Hermitage invited a foreigner to design one of their tentoonstellingen.

On top of that, it is a different kind of tentoonstelling than the Hermitage usually displays. There will be “state-of-the-art exhibition technologies – audio, video, large reproductions, artistic lighting.” It is the first time that such a mixture of technologies is used in a tentoonstelling there.

Caspar Conijn had previously created a tentoonstelling about the tsarenfamilie (Tsar family) at the Hermitage Amsterdam, with the name “1917. Romanovs & Revolutie“. That ended about a month ago, and it was a huge succes (success). It impressed the director of the Russian Hermitage so much that he asked Conijn to also make his tentoonstelling a reality.

What the Russians appreciated most about his ideas was the emotie (emotion) in his work. That was essential.

Conijn had the following to say: “Het is een tentoonstelling met dramatiek, met beeld en we hopen dat de bezoekers die revolutie ook echt voelen als ze hier lopen.” (“It is an exhibition with drama, with imagery and we hope that also the visitors really feel that revolution when they walk here.”)

You can find more information on the tentoonstelling here.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!