Botanical Fresco
Botanical Fresco, the ceiling artwork by artist Claudy Jongstra in the Pleinfoyer of Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA), draws on the rich, layered history of the space — from 1894 to the present — while also softening the acoustic experience in this grand, double-height foyer.
The botanical composition and specially developed plant-based color palette directly reference the original floral wall paintings from 1894, which have since been painted over multiple times. The recently restored granito floor and the 1939 wall frescoes by Gerard Hordijk also served as sources of inspiration. The organic design of the work aligns with the time-sensitive and fluid nature of fresco techniques — a quality that resonates deeply with the atmosphere of the Pleinfoyer and the other impressive spaces within Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA).
Historical research into the preservation of this unique space, conducted by De Kunstkoesteraars in 2022, formed the basis for the artwork’s color choices. The original paint tones uncovered during the research were carefully examined and reconstituted in the natural dye lab of Studio Claudy Jongstra.
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Historical dye plants such as wede (Isatis tinctoria), madder (Rubia tinctoria), and golden onion skins were used in the process. The resulting color palette bridges the heritage of the Pleinfoyer with its contemporary presence and meaning.
By using traditional dye plants and Drentse heath wool, a tangible connection is created between the Pleinfoyer, the Dutch landscape of today, and the cultural heritage of historic materials like wool and plant-based pigments in monumental architecture such as the ITA.
