Frans and Marja de Boer Lichtveld Archive

Kinetische objecten door Frans en Marja de Boer Lichtveld in het Leidsebosje in Amsterdam in 1975

The RKD recently received the archive of artist duo Frans and Marja de Boer Lichtveld. The archive was donated by Marja herself and offers a comprehensive overview of the work and collaboration of the couple, who worked together for over 45 years on an oeuvre centered on movement, light, and reflection.

Meeting and early years

Frans (1942-2015) and Marja (1941) de Boer Lichtveld met while studying at the Institute for Applied Arts Education in Amsterdam, now known as the Gerrit Rietveld Academy. Initially, they each worked as independent artists. Marja created gouaches, collages, erotic drawings, textile works, and neon light objects, among other things. During this period, Frans focused primarily on iron sculptures.

Portret van kunstenaarsduo Frans en Marja de Boer in hun atelier in 1975 — Photographer unknown, *Portrait of Marja and Frans de Boer Lichtveld in their studio*, Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, 1975, private collection of Marja de Boer Lichtveld

Artist duo

After moving to a former school in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, their collaboration gradually grew. In this shared working and living environment, an intensive artistic exchange developed, which led to their decision in 1970 to continue permanently as an artist duo. From that moment on, they worked together on kinetic sculptures, mirror objects, and light sculptures that explored the relationship between space, perception, and technology.

Documentatie in het archief van Frans en Marja de Boer Lichtveld bij het RKD — *Documentation of various kinetic light objects in Amsterdam (1972-1975)*, collection RKD, Marja and Frans de Boer Lichtveld Archive

Over the years, the couple created dozens of monumental works of art in public spaces, including commissions from companies, schools, and municipalities. They also maintained friendly ties with artists such as Corneille, Ferdi, and Shinkichi Tajiri.

Voorstudies van Frans en Marja de Boer Lichtveld voor objecten in het AMEV hoofdkantoor in Utrecht — *Preliminary studies for various objects in the AMEV headquarters in Utrecht (1974)*, collection RKD, Frans and Marja de Boer Lichtveld Archive

Archive

The archive contains correspondence, sketches and designs, and photographs of both artists' individual work and their joint projects. In addition, there are documents relating to exhibitions and commissions, photographs of independent work, publications and press releases, plus an overview of image rights fees.

The archive is now available for consultation in the study room at the RKD in The Hague. This makes it a valuable source for future research into the oeuvre of Frans and Marja de Boer Lichtveld and into the development of kinetic art and light art in the Netherlands.

How to consult an archive:

Look up the archive in RKDcollections.
Click on the inventory list and choose the inventory numbers you want to view
Send an email to archieven@rkd.nl requesting the inventory numbers at least two working days before your visit to the RKD