Oomen Collection
Marina Abramović, Ai Weiwei, Rineke Dijkstra, Ed van der Elsken, Keith Haring, Karel Appel, Roy Lichtenstein, Wolfgang Tillmans, Pipilotti Rist… and even Rembrandt. These are just a few names from the 73 works selected from the collection of Amsterdam collector Frans Oomen. For a limited time, these works are being showcased in one of the rooms at Museum Villa.
At first glance, one thing is certain: someone has been very busy. From floor to ceiling, artworks fill the walls, hanging side-by-side and one above the other. This is only a portion of Oomen’s collection, transported here from his home on the Haarlemmerweg—within sight of the Villa. From the outside, it looks like a typical Amsterdam house. However, as soon as you step inside, you realize nothing about this home is typical. All four floors are completely filled with art. Oomen is not a wealthy patron with a climate-controlled vault; he is someone who, for over 40 years, has spent every spare euro on art that moves him. As a result, works by emerging artists hang alongside icons like Keith Haring, Gerhard Richter, and Julie Mehretu.
Unlike the other rooms in the Villa, these walls are packed with a selection of editions, signed prints, and unique pieces by various artists. Some works grab your attention immediately; others you might only notice on your third pass. The room functions almost like a visual candy store—you can pick your own favorite. Can you find something you don't like? An artist you’ve seen before? Something you’d want to create yourself? This presentation invites a different way of looking. Instead of focusing on a single, isolated artwork, your gaze constantly wanders across the walls—comparing, connecting, and discovering unexpected relationships.
Oomen Collection
Foto door Davide Sartori, masker van Joep van Lieshout
Frans Oomen (1962) was born and raised in the heart of Amsterdam. He was fortunate enough to experience the city in the 70s and 80s—a period defined by experimentation, improvisation, and creative freedom. At the time, the Westerpark neighborhood was considered rough and largely avoided, but Oomen felt drawn to it. As a young artist, he became part of the local creative scene. Oomen studied various artistic disciplines, including drawing, painting, photography, and art history at institutions such as the Gerrit Rietveld Academie.
During those years, he began exchanging artworks with classmates. This formed the foundation of what has grown into a collection of over 4,000 works, including an impressive number of internationally recognized artists. Oomen describes himself as a dealer with "eagle eyes"—someone who spots what will become important early on and strikes at the right moment. He takes pride not in the current market value of his pieces, but in the fact that he acted at exactly the right time. When asked if he buys works by artists who are already famous, he replies: “I probably already bought it ten years ago.”
