From 13 July to 24 September 2017, Museum Jan van der Togt showed a retrospective exhibition by Bernard Heesen, under the name: "From Color Splendor to Pronkbokaal - A Reflection".

Bernard Heesen is the most important and influential glassblower and artist in the Netherlands. Trained as an architect, Bernard was called to his aid by his father, Willem Heesen, to help in the glassworks of the Oude Horn in Acquoy. He did this without any knowledge of the glass and the glassmakers' trade. Unhindered by the ballast of the tradition of the craft, he started his search in the glass that continues to this day.

This major retrospective showed highlights from the oeuvre of Bernard Heesen (1958). There was early work such as the glass “Stones” and the film of an expedition to Etna, 30 years ago, in an attempt to blow spheres from liquid lava. That moment was the reason for Heesen to definitely opt for artistry.

Obviously top pieces from his series "Encyclopaedic Wrought" were shown with large blown arabesques and black mirrors and his "Schimmelvazen".

REFLECTION Bernard Heesen himself made a visual commentary on his oeuvre by creating new blown work. He himself said about this: “The production is closely linked to the ability of that moment; in that sense there is a clear line in my oeuvre. It is interesting to investigate to what extent the technique of making has been decisive in the origin of things. ”

For the exhibition, loans were requested from various museums such as Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, National Glass Museum Leerdam and the Rijksmuseum Twenthe and from various private collections. At this exhibition the new book part IV of his life's work, the "encyclopaedia of the glassblower" was presented.