Twee bezoekers bekijken schilderijen van Limburgse kunstenaars tijdens de tentoonstelling Rooted in Change in het Nederlands Mijnmuseum.

Rooted in Change now also on view at the Dutch Mining Museum

Since this week, Rooted in Change is on view not only at SCHUNCK Museum and Raadhuis Heerlen, but also at the Dutch Mining Museum. On its renovated upper floor KLEUR, the museum presents a special selection of historical and contemporary works from the former DSM art collection.

With Rooted in Change, visitors get to know the art collection that adorned the halls of DSM for decades. For the first time in history, the collection is presented in three chapters: at SCHUNCK Museum, the focus is on contemporary art; at Raadhuis (Town Hall) Heerlen, on the earliest works from the collection; and at the Dutch Mining Museum, both come together.

Connecting past and present

At the Dutch Mining Museum, fourteen paintings and photographs, six sculptures, and one video work are on display. The selection shows different facets of the mining story. Leo Franssen, Harry Koolen, and Daan Wildschut depict the mine landscapes and daily work life in the mining region, while Frans Gast portrays the miner himself — known for the large sculpture at Heerlen’s town hall. Arthur Spronken pays tribute to the miners’ patron saint with his sculpture of Saint Barbara.

There is also space for contemporary art by makers with roots in the region, such as Chaim van Luit and Hadassah Emmerich, as well as international voices like Berndnaut Smilde and Itamar Gilboa. Together, they show how the mining past continues to resonate in current themes such as identity, resilience, and change.

Curated with residents and stakeholders

The selection of works was partly shaped by contributions from residents and stakeholders, each offering their personal choice from the collection. Leen Roels, director-curator of the Dutch Mining Museum, selected Lungs by Itamar Gilboa — a work that powerfully references breathing, labor, and recovery.

Bezoekers bekijken sculpturen en foto’s op de vernieuwde verdieping KLEUR van het Nederlands Mijnmuseum, onderdeel van de tentoonstelling Rooted in Change.

Renovated upper floor KLEUR

For this exhibition, the Dutch Mining Museum has given its top floor a new purpose. The floor, named KLEUR (Color), is now a space where current themes, new stories, and underrepresented perspectives find a place. It also highlights our relationship with mining heritage, making it the ideal setting for the mix of early and contemporary works from the DSM art collection.

Rooted in Change is on view until 1 March 2026 at SCHUNCK Museum, the Dutch Mining Museum, and Raadhuis Heerlen.

A combination ticket for SCHUNCK and the Dutch Mining Museum costs €16.50 and is available via the ticket shop.

Groep bezoekers luistert naar een toelichting tijdens de opening van Rooted in Change op verdieping KLEUR in het Nederlands Mijnmuseum, met hedendaagse en historische kunstwerken uit de DSM-collectie.