THE HAGUE, Netherlands — When the Mauritshuis museum decided to loan its renowned “Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer to Amsterdam for a grand exhibition in 2023, it faced the challenge of leaving an empty spot where the masterpiece usually hung. The museum, based in The Hague, ingeniously addressed this absence by calling upon artists worldwide, creating an eclectic collection of interpretations from over 2,700 contributors ranging in age from 7 to 70, hailing from places as diverse as Texas and Ukraine.
The initiative resulted in a curated selection of 60 incredibly varied artworks that employed unconventional materials like orange peels, bottle caps, and sweatshirts. These pieces were showcased in the museum during the time “Girl with a Pearl Earring” was on temporary display 40 miles (64 kilometers) away in Amsterdam. Despite the artwork’s relocation, its allure never diminished, as noted by Martine Gosselink, director of the Mauritshuis museum, who remarked on the painting’s continued and undying appeal.
A comprehensive investigation conducted in 2020 leveraged cutting-edge imaging techniques to scrutinize Vermeer’s craftsmanship and his choice of pigments, yet it failed to reveal the identity of the painting’s mysterious subject. Artist Rob de Heer drew unique inspiration for his submission, combining the beloved imagery of the painting with the face of a Wayang puppet, as a nod to both the Netherlands’ Golden Age and its colonial history in Indonesia, which was under Dutch rule until 1949. De Heer’s work was one among many distinct interpretations displayed on an ongoing digital screen in the museum, next to an eclectic creation that reimagined the famous face on an antique tea tin.
Using the competition as a canvas, other artists also conveyed their creative prowess. South Korean artist Nanan Kang crafted a rendition using an ear of corn for the face, while Georgian artist Nino Kavazauri envisioned a modern girl waiting at a bus stop holding a cup of coffee. Welsh animator Simon Chong, known for working on the acclaimed series “Bob’s Burgers,” contributed a piece reminiscent of the show’s signature cartoon style.
The noteworthy artworks were framed and exhibited at the exact location traditionally reserved for “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” placed between two portraits by Gerard ter Borch, a prominent Dutch Baroque painter. This successful first competition inspired a subsequent contest, with new submissions presently being showcased at the Fabrique des Lumières in Amsterdam. The museum continues to engage and display artistic entries on its Instagram page to the delight of an international audience.
Gosselink, who assumed the role of museum director in 2020, lauded the diversity and depth of the participating artworks, acknowledging the considerable challenge in narrowing down the selections for display. “Many of the pieces we’ve chosen stand alone as new works of art themselves,” Gosselink observed, “and would be worthy of a place in any museum setting.”