The Dutch King often welcomes ambassadors and dignitaries in a very specific room in Palace ten Bosch. While the room looks like it may simply be a design choice, it actually holds the family’s history.
The Dutch State commissioned the DNA Room in 2019 and artist Jacob van der Beugel created the room. The room is created out of 80,000 handmade ceramic blocks that have been divided up into five different sections. The five sections include the DNA of King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, a past portrait as well as a future portrait, and a portrait of the DNA of a global citizen.
Van der Beugel focused on both the political importance of the space, as it is also used to swear in government Ministers, and the history of the Dutch Royal Family.
The complex and thought-provoking installation took several years from start to finish. Van der Beugel created all of the clay blocks by hand over a three year period and worked with government staff members, architects, and historians to create the unique space.
The artist explained his hope for those visiting the room, saying ”Everyone who steps foot into the room is surrounded by complex notions of identity and the importance of context in establishing a coherent sense of self.”
