The Roundness of Loss

Sooner or later, everyone is confronted with loss – whether it be the loss of a loved one, a pet, or a homeland. How do we cope with absence, and how do we keep those we’ve lost close to us? In this  exhibition inspired by the acclaimed book The Roundness of Loss (2023) by author and curator Hanne Hagenaars, the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam presents a special selection of works by more than thirty Dutch and international artists exploring themes of loss and endurance, but also of resilience and vitality. The exhibition highlights the power of art and imagination in navigating grief. 

Mounir Eddib's contribution is titled Dar (2025). This house-like structure made of soldered lead sheets represents a ritualized Moroccan coal miner's home. Eddib's grandfather was seduced to come to the mines of Belgium as a "guest worker" in the 1970s. Although his hard labor laid the foundations for national wealth, migrant miners were treated as outsiders and inferior citizens. As their temporary residences became permanent homes, many were left with unresolved feelings of displacement. Nevertheless, by making use of North African folk rituals and traditionally protective substances such as lead, indigo cloth and alum saltstone, Sahrawiya women manifested domestic safe spaces for their families.

Among other things, Eddib sees his own art as a form of ancestor worship. His grandfather passed away in Agadir on February 20, 2010, during a final visit to his homeland. 

The Roundness of Loss occupies an entire wing of the Museum, in which works are loosely grouped around several themes. It received five-star reviews from NRC and Trouw, and was also covered in Museumtijdschrift.

Photos by Aad Hoogendoorn