Shocking blue Visitors of this year’s Heesen booth at the Monaco Yacht Show will be inspired by a striking demonstration of Dutch rebellious art that gives an entirely new interpretation of the world-famous Delftware. Ask around what the Dutch are famous for, and you will probably hear the answer ‘Delftware’ more than once. The intricate blue and white porcelain originates in the late 16th century as a cheaper alternative to the expensive and much-desired Chinese porcelain that the Dutch merchants brought back home from their trading journeys to the east. With a good market sense, craftsmanship and creativity, the porcelain makers of Delft succeeded in making 'imitation porcelain' in such a way that it gained its own status and audience. Unlike Chinese porcelain, Delftware is not made from porcelain clay, but from carefully composed clays, paints and glazes. In the heyday of Delft blue, dozens of pottery factories operated. Almost all of these closed down over the centuries. Delftware re-inspired For a long time, Delftware was mainly bought by foreign tourists. But lately, this iconic craftsmanship has been appreciated again in the Netherlands too, inspiring artists to create innovative and exciting works of art. The legendary Dutch graffiti artist Hugo Kaagman managed to creatively blend his recognizable stencil- art with old Dutch craft and then made adroit use of Delftware, which he somewhat mockingly called 'Shocking Blue'. Next to his free work, Kaagman collaborated with many brands to create quirky artworks, including aircraft prints for British Airways, a 65-metre Delft Blue wall at Schiphol Airport, and even decorations for Palace Huis ten Bosch in Japan. Kaagman’s latest partnership is with Heesen: just like Delftware another icon of Dutch craftsmanship. We asked Kaagman about his exciting new art project. For the people who don’t know you, please tell us about yourself? “I’m a Dutch graffiti artist, who has spent half a century creating murals, paintings, graphics and ceramics. I started doing graffiti in the 70s, with different concepts like punk, reggae, zebra, patterns and Delftware. Looking for the absurd, looking at weird things, lots of poetry, craziness; constantly discovering and combining new things and seeing if it leads somewhere. In 1978 I started using stencils; shapes cut out in cardboard and then sprayed or airbrushed. I was one of the first with that technique, later made famous by Banksy. So I am considered a pioneer, the Godfather of Dutch stencils.” Where does your fondness for Delftware come from? “From researching Dutch culture and history. It is world art avant la lettre, copied from the Chinese Ming Dynasty. An art form ignored for centuries that resurfaced in the 90s, when the Dutch were in search of their identity. I decided to take on a new approach of Delftware, and turn the tourist kitsch into good.” What exactly are you going to make for Heesen Yachts? “I will use a propeller as a canvas to create a modern version of tradition. The perfectly white painted propeller looks like porcelain, with beautiful edges and curves. Drawing from my extensive collection of thousands of stencils, I will select and combine images and patterns that capture and represent the Dutch yachting atmosphere and Côte d'Azur lifestyle. But enough said, it’s still work and progress, and I don’t’ want to spoil the surprise.”   What do you hope to achieve with this work? “First of all, and that goes for all of my work, I want to charm people, make them smile, and make them aware of their cultural heritage. And because this artwork will be prominently placed at the Heesen booth, which is in a very central location at the Monaco Yacht Show, I want it to be a trophy, an absolute eye- catcher. Of course, I wouldn’t mind it becoming a popular Instagram or TikTok hotspot of the show.” POST IT & WIN Are you visiting the Monaco Yacht Show, and would you like to win a The Heesen Aficionado package? Then make sure you stop by at the Heesen booth, take a selfie with the artwork of Hugo Kaagman, and post it on Instagram, using the hashtag #delftbluebyheesen Heesen