portrait 16 – Simon Haen
abstraction, romance, clichés and kitsch

Simon Haen studied theatre design at the art academy in Tilburg and won the Perspectief-Travel and the Tilburg-Stimulation Award (2nd). After graduating he worked for Theater ‘Theks’ and Theater ‘De Vorst’ and to this day for many theatre and dance companies. He was seen in the famous television programme ‘Klokhuis’ (‘Clock House’) and made a name for himself with an extensive and lively oeuvre of ‘automata’.

Simon Haen studeerde theatervormgeving aan de kunstacademie in Tilburg en won na zijn afstuderen de Perspectief-Reis en de Tilburg-Stimuleringsprijs (2e prijs). Werkte voor Theater Theks en De Vorst en tot op de dag van heden voor vele theater en- dansgezelschappen. Was onder andere te zien in het befaamde televisieprogramma ‘Klokhuis’ en maakte naam met een uitgebreid levendig oeuvre van ‘automaten’.

plea for the unknown
pleidooi voor het onbekende

“abstraction, romance, clichés and kitsch”

starring artist:
simon haen

text notes

pulleys*)
a pulley (originating in ancient egypt) is a device in which the direction of pull of a rope is changed.
pulleys are often used in sets. they then form a tackle or block set, which makes it possible to move
and lift a heavy load with limited force, mainly known from shipping.

altendorf*)
altendorf gmbh & co. kg maschinenbau, is a producer of sliding table saw and panel saw used in
cabinetry and carpentry. the company has been in the saw-manufacture business since 1906,
and is viewed as one of the leading suppliers in the saw market worldwide. the company is based
in the east wesphalian town of minden, germany.

bewo*)
this machine factory was founded in tilburg in 1932 by bertens and van de wouw. they were also
owners of the tool and machine trade ‘nehma’ (until 1965). in 1948 the company developed the bow
saw machine and then also developed the circular saw machine. the company is currently located on
‘the kraaiven’ industrial estate in tilburg and also has a branch in england.

theks*)
this important art facility, ’theks’ was founded in 1971 on ‘de schans’ and moved in 1976 to the former
dutch distribution center of food wholesale ‘de gruyter’. ’theks’ focused beside of visual arts mainly on
the field of dance and theatre and showed and produced small-scale but special performances. in 1986
‘theks’ was purchased by the artist jan doms, director of the ‘stichting muzische vorming’, later converted
into the ‘tilburg art foundation’ which in 1993, as a successor to ‘theks’, founded theater ‘de vorst’
(the monarch’) in the center of tilburg.

drie ons*)
in 1984, the foundation ons-theaterproducties in tilburg was established as a collaboration between writer
rob vrolijk, designer hedy grünewald and anthropologist / director rené jagers. in 1998, the name ‘ons’
was changed to ‘drie ons’ (‘three ounces’) and together they made more than seventy-five theater an
theater-music productions. the company ceased to exist on january 1, 2013.

hedy grünewald*)
hedy grünewald is a dutch scenographer and was, among other things, co-founder in that capacity in
1984 of the theatre company and (music) theatre company ‘drie ons’ (‘three ounces’). in addition,
she also designed sets for ‘zuidelijk toneel’ / ‘globe’, ‘de witte kraai’, ‘theater zuidpool’, among others.

prop*)
a ‘prop’, formally known as a (theatrical) property, is an object actors use on stage or screen during a
performance or screen production.

decor*)
decor is the specially designed and created environment for a performance in a theatre, film or television
programme.

house (resident) company*)
a company is called a resident company if it is a permanent player at the theatre or concert hall in question.

opera*)
opera, originated in florence, italy, at the end of the 16th century, is a form of musical theatre in which
(classical) music and theatre are combined. each character is portrayed by a (classical) singer. opera is
part of western culture but there are also non-western forms of musical theatre for example the chinese opera.

budget productions*)
the term ‘budget productions’ means that only minimal budgets are available when creating a performance
(theater / music / dance / multi-disciplinary).

efteling*)
the ‘efteling’ large-scale amusement park in waalwijk netherlands opened its doors in the 1950s with,
among other things, the ‘fairytale forest’ and a growing number of attractions in the style of painter,
draftsman, etcher and graphic artist: anton pieck (1895 – 1987), later expanded with more exotic elements.

fairytale forest*)
the ‘fairytale forest’ in the ‘efteling’ is created in 1952. the designs for the fairytales are by anton pieck end
the technical execution is by peter reijnders. along the older paths are fifteen mushrooms set up from which
the cheerful baroque harpsichord minuet in g major by christian petzold sounds.

tinguely*)
jean tinguely (1925 – 1991) was a swiss painter and sculptor. in 1955 he met the french sculptress niki de
saint phalle and worked with her from the end of 1960. they created a large number of kinetic works of
art together, including the stravinsky fountains in paris.

‘vending machines’*)
simon haen invented ‘vending machines’ in the sense of a kind of automat on that, after inserting a coin,
will, so to speak, show a very surprising ‘drama’ with all kind of moving figures and unsuspected events.

barbie dolls*)
barbie’s ‘birth date’ is march 9, 1959. on that day, the doll was introduced to buyers at the ‘1959 toy fair’.
barbie’s full name is barbara millicent roberts. this name refers to the six-year-old daughter of the founder
ruth handler of the toy company mattel.

decap organ*)
in 1902, aloïs decap and his son livien started a barrel organ company in antwerp, belgium. they gave their
organs their own character and were always looking for improvements and innovations. the ‘decap organs’
are therefore immediately recognizable by both appearance and sound character. in 1953, electronic
instruments were used for the first time and the use of electronics gradually became established in organ
technology.

luna, luna, luna*)
what makes festival ‘luna luna luna’ as truly unique are the original attractions created by talented tilburg
artists and visionaries. these local creatives steal the show with their unparalleled contributions, giving the
festival an authentic tilburg touch. whether it’s art installations, interactive performances or craft creations,
every attraction contributes to the quirky and vibrant atmosphere of ‘luna luna luna’.

boudoir*)
a boudoir was a usually elegantly furnished room, popular in france in the eighteenth century, where the
lady of the house could retreat.

factorium*)
in 1869, the city council of tilburg decided to subsidize the private music school. in 1908, the tilburg music
school association was founded. in 1949, the tilburg music school also started a ballet program. in 1988,
the music school was housed in the textile factory of george dröge, next to the textile museum and was
called ‘tilburg dance and music school’ since then. in 2004, a new building was opened and the name
was changed to ‘factorium’ tilburg.

fontys*)
the foundation for higher education south netherlands (hozn) is a dutch foundation with its registered
office in tilburg. in 1996, the name of the foundation was changed to ‘fontys foundation’. the arts faculty
(visual arts, architecture & urbanism and dance is located in the center of tilburg next to the main theater.

credits projects

kraaiende haen – simon haen

musical ‘bajour caravan’ – musical society ‘boems’ – schouwburg tilburg, 2017
stage design: simon haen

don quixote – de wetten van kepler (kepler’s laws), 2004
written by: miguel de cervantes
direction: wim berings
scenography: august swietkowiac
costumes: ilsevermeulen
stage design: simon haen

ell penelope
choreography & concept: jelena kostić
dancers: ann-christin zimmermann, vincent morelle, judit ruiz onandi, francesco barba
composers: jeroen strijb os & rob van rijswijk
set design: simon haen i.c.w. saša ivanović
costumes: natasja leenders
co-production with: dance house ‘station south’

photos – miloš gazdić

underdog – jochten otten, 2023
stage design: simon haen

eerste liefde (‘first love’) – theater company ‘de wetten van kepler’ (‘kepler’s laws’), 1994
writer: samuel becket
direction: wim berings
stage design: simon haen
costumes: ilse vermeulen
production: ‘bis productions’ & ‘de wetten van kepler’ (‘kepler laws’)
fotography: joep lennarts / august swietkowiak
dance organs, art academy ‘st joost’ / leeuwarden 2003
creation: simon haen

video fragment npo klokhuis, 2007
decor artist simon haen

‘waterloop’ (water course), vertoningsruimte (display room) ’argument’, tilburg, 1969
creation installation: simon haen

ruimteschip (spaceship) vip events (more details unknown)
created by: simon haen

mascot: ‘rhino’ – festival ‘luna luna luna’, tilburg, 2023
created by: simon haen

installation ‘gate’, festival ‘luna luna luna’, tilburg, 2023
created by: simon haen

ending machine (automat) ‘whats on the radio’ – simon haen, 2010

‘ambtelijke molen’ (‘official mill’) – festival ‘luna luna luna’, tilburg, 2023
created by: simon haen

‘marilyn’ maria chapel (without year)
created by: simon haen

‘hier adem ik vrij’ (‘here i breathe freely’), tilburg music theater foundation, 2024
script / direction: boy jonkergouw
music: ron antens
stage: simon haen
cooperation: many others
socials: evelien oerlemans

theater company ‘koning carlos’ (‘king carlos’) – ‘sloopt’ (‘demolishes’), 2009
ton de witte, joris van midde and leon de waal
stage design: simon haen

stage productions ‘nestel’, flanders belgium, 2012
‘lap’: dafne maes & danaé bosman
stage design: simon haen

‘rocket’ – simon haen (without year)

cabaret: rob scheepers (without year)
stage design: simon haen

‘polderman tuigt af’ (‘polderman is beating up’) – 2010
direction and performance: katinka polderman
theater productions, harrie kies
stage: simon haen
fotography: rudi gagel

musical ‘ titanic’ 2010
brabant operetta and musical players: ‘boems’
musical director: rick van den belt
director: leander bouwens
choreographer: roxanne joosen
stage: simon haen

unfortunately it was not possible to find all the names
of the photographers and filmmakers of the images shown.
apologies for that.

portrait 16 – Simon Haen
abstraction, romance, clichés and kitsch

camera and video editing: tom pijnenburg
research, editorial, text titles: jan doms

leader:
graphic design: jan doms
opening sequence: pieter reijnen & tom pijnenburg
sound: aspa petrov – prefuse 73 dvořák
ernst bonis – composition taksim

music end credits: hans muller