The Company | Vacuum

"Vacuum" is a two-person exhibition by Gouda-based artists Harry Stangenberger and Atty Kingma.

Harry Stangenberger is a versatile artist who works across various disciplines. In addition to painting—often in large formats—he also creates installations and photographs, which serve as inspiration for a story he can tell.
For the exhibition at De Firma, he draws inspiration from “Critique of Cynical Reason” by the German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk, an essay that makes a case for reevaluating the original intentions of the Enlightenment. Stangenberger quotes the following from it:
“Unashamed happiness:
” Does boldness, which recalls the right to happiness, still stand a chance? Is the cynical impulse truly dead, and does only cynicism have a grand, deadly future? Can enlightenment—the idea that it would be wise to be happy—be embodied anew in our gloomy modernity? Are we defeated for good, and will the cynical twilight of harsh reality and moral dreams never lift again?”
(From “Critique of Cynical Reason,” Peter Sloterdijk 1983. Harry Stangenberger April 2026)

 Atty Kingma creates theater costumes and textile objects. In her independent work, she primarily uses linen and cotton fabrics in their natural colors. She draws inspiration mainly from nature in all its forms, which she incorporates into various folds and seams. 
 "light, soft,
translucent,
repetitive,
rhythm"
Atty Kingma

Opening Friday, May 29:
The opening will be at 8:00 PM, hosted by Martijn Junte. All are welcome; no registration required!

Exhibition hours:
On view: May 27 through June 21, 2026
Wednesday through Sunday, 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Admission is free.

More information: www.defirmagouda.nl