
Thursday 22 October 2026 to Sunday 24 October 2027
Pantheon Amsterdam
Eight artists. Eight altarpieces. Eight celebrations.
Pantheon Amsterdam brings together contemporary art, heritage and spirituality in a unique exhibition at Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder. Eight artists are creating new altarpieces and celebrations centred on stories of faith, identity, exclusion and recognition. Pantheon Amsterdam demonstrates that these subjects are not merely historical phenomena, but contemporary themes that continue to give meaning to the lives of many people. Together, the artists offer a glimpse into the religiously diverse city that Amsterdam is today.
The exhibition opens on 21 October 2026 and will run for a year from 22 October, until 24 October 2027, at Museum Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder.
The artists and their altarpieces
Buhlebezwe Siwani — an altarpiece inspired by her family’s church in South Africa, in which she explores the relationship between Christianity and African spirituality
Cherella Gessel — Gi Abra, a tribute to Mama Aisa, the supreme goddess of Winti, and to the Surinamese religious traditions that were passed down in secret during the era of slavery
Kenneth Aidoo — Luke 23:34, thirteen panels linking the Passion of Christ with the suffering of enslaved people in the forts of Elmina and Cape Coast
Marilyn Sonneveld — Solstice, two glass works exploring birth, loss and the annual cycle of light and darkness
Chathuri Nissansala — Maathru Yaathikawa, exploring Sri Lankan healing rituals and the queer nachchi community that keeps them alive
Kaili Smith — Miracle of the Zeedijk, an altarpiece for the contemporary residents and business owners of the Zeedijk, the heart of Amsterdam’s Chinatown
Đăng-Vũ Đặng — Mẹ La Vang: A Mother’s Echoing Cry, on the Blessed Virgin Mary, colonialism, war and his family’s flight from Vietnam
Sammie Tjon Sien Foek — an audiovisual work exploring notions of identity within a late-capitalist society. Identity is shaped, amongst other things, by cultural, social and religious rituals.
Alongside the seven new altarpieces, Jacob de Wit’s *The Resurrection* (1736) is also on display, originating from De Franse Kerk, a former Catholic clandestine church in Amsterdam.
Events
| Date | Event | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 22, 23, 24 October | Amsterdam Dance Event | Sammie Tjon Sien Foek |
| 31 December | Jogi Mathraa | Chathuri Nissansala |
| 15 March | Miracle of Amsterdam | Kaili Smith |
| 26 March | Good Friday | Kenneth Aidoo |
| 28 March | Easter | Buhlebezwe Siwani |
| 21 June | Midsummer Solstice | Marilyn Sonneveld |
| 1 July | Keti Koti | Cherella Gessel |
| 15 August | Assumption of Mary | Đăng-Vũ Đặng |
Meet the Artists
Young people from the Voices Community, the museum’s talent programme, will visit the artists in their studios under the guidance of cinematographer James Hully, and talk to them about inspiration, themes, materials and techniques. These videos will be screened in the exhibition spaces.
