Don’t Mind the Gap – Cees Krijnen at WiHH

For his current exhibition with WiHH Gallery Amsterdam, Cees Krijnen (56) presents a remarkable new work: a handcrafted coffin made for his mother and muse, Greta Blok (84). Designed by Krijnen in oak, birch and beech,  the coffin was functionality and symbolism, featuring subtle humour – including a built-in Dutch shuffleboard (sjoelbak) in the base.

Although the coffin was created specifically for his mother, Krijnen emphasizes that there is no urgency involved. The project grew out of open, light-hearted conversations between mother and son. “My mother says very casually: ‘You might as well have it already.’ She insisted it should be cheerful and open, not a dark or traditional coffin,” Krijnen explainsbuilt by Haarlem-based woodworker Mark Beverwijk. The piece combines .

The collaboration between Krijnen and Beverwijk follows earlier joint projects, including a ceremonial chair first presented in Haarlem in 2022, on display WiHH alongside the coffin. While that work symbolizes “the circus coming to town,” Beverwijk describes the new coffin as “the circus leaving town.”

“To me, everything is art. The coffin is part of life, so it’s art as well,”
says Krijnen.

Ewald Krijnen