Dutch art exhibitions to join Tulip Festival

PHOTO/FILE

Two Dutch art exhibitions of note will be staged in Rotorua at the time of the city's Tulip Festival in October.

Those exhibitions are Inner Worlds: The art and life of Walter Bakkenes and Rembrandt Remastered.

The latter comes direct from Amsterdam in collaboration with the Rembrandt Research Project Foundation.

Rotorua Tulip Festival manager Brigitte Nelson said the exhibitions would further enhance an already exciting October for Rotorua.

The combination of New Zealand's largest tulip festival with exhibitions of such a high pedigree were likely to have a positive effect on tourist numbers at the time, she said.

Inner Worlds has been described as an "extraordinary exhibition" of artworks and artefacts by Dutch-born Rotorua artist Walter Bakkenes (1920-1986).

The exhibition will feature some of the 250 paintings and sketches donated by Walter's widow Dora Bakkenes.

It will be staged from September 3 - through to November 27.

Rembrandt Remastered features a "remarkable" collection of digitally remastered, life-sized paintings from one of the world's greatest artists.

Each work is reproduced exactly as it may have left the master's studio nearly 400 years ago. This exhibition will be staged from September 3 to November 20.

The Rotorua Tulip Festival will this year become New Zealand's largest tulip festival, thanks to Rotorua Lakes Council's commitment to plant 100,000 tulip bulbs in key places.

Ms Nelson said there was strong public interest in the festival this year - many people had purchased tulip bulbs to plant at home, or in their workplace.

Rotorua Mitre 10 Mega garden department manager Richard Lingard said just over 2000 tulip bulbs were sold at his store alone this year.

The festival will be held from October 1-9 and will involve a whole host of events. There will be the opportunity to take tulip tours, listen to guest speakers, and participate in spring garden talks, family picnics, bike rides, markets, and more.

For more information on festival events, as they are announced, check out the Tulipfest Facebook page and/or website www.tulipfest.co.nz