Lies Boelrijk, head of marketing and business development: ‘The Kröller-Müller Museum not only has a loyal partner in AkzoNobel, with a passion for art and culture; it also gains in-house craftsmanship and expertise in the field of high-quality paint products’.

The partnership is a result of the intense involvement of technical consultants of AkzoNobel’s Sikkens brand in the selection of a durable paint system for the conservation. Artist Jean Dubuffet (Le Havre, 1901–Paris, 1985) also chose Sikkens paint in 1974, when Jardin d’émail was constructed in the sculpture garden of the Kröller-Müller Museum.

After more than a year of testing, evaluating, adjusting and testing again, the final selection of the Sikkens paint system for the conservation of the artwork was made in December 2019. In January 2020, work began on the application of the 1,200 litres of white and black coating.

Fred van den Heuvel, Manager National Accounts Sikkens Decorative Coatings at AkzoNobel: ‘It was wonderful to be able to contribute to the sustainable conservation of Jardin d’émail with our expertise and of course our product Sikkens Wapex 647. The method of collaborating with the museum fits perfectly with AkzoNobel’s passion for paint. Both partners attach great importance to meticulous processes, which was an absolute precondition for this project’.

A partnership between the Kröller-Müller Museum with its outstanding collection of modern and contemporary art and AkzoNobel with a top-notch Sikkens brand portfolio is a logical continuation of the recent constructive collaboration. The museum and AkzoNobel have found each other in professionality and cutting-edge quality. AkzoNobel believes in the power of paint; giving colour to communities makes them more enjoyable and habitable.

The partners are entering into a partnership for a period of three years. In addition to the white and black paint for Jardin d’émail, AkzoNobel will give colour to the exhibition spaces of the Kröller-Müller Museum for the next three years with Alphatex SF, Sikkens’ most durable wall paint.

More information on the conservation.
Photos of Jardin d'émail after the conservation can be viewed and downloaded here.

About Sikkens
Since its establishment over 225 years ago, Sikkens has had a clear goal: to provide first-class products and services. We want to ensure that our customers always achieve the best results with Sikkens products. Collaboration with the users of our products is the key to our success – from development to the finished work. Why? It’s very simple; top quality paint is our passion and we stand for craftsmanship. Sikkens plays a pioneering role in the field of innovation, technical excellence and colour expertise. Sikkens’ paint products provide guaranteed success for professional painters, architects and interior designers for both new buildings and renovation projects. More information (Dutch).
About AkzoNobel
AkzoNobel has a passion for paint. We’re experts in the proud craft of making paints and coatings, and have been setting the standard for colour and protection since 1792. Customers around the world use our trusted top-notch brands – including Flexa, International, Sikkens and Interpon. We are headquartered in the Netherlands and active in more than 150 countries. We have approx. 33,500 talented employees with a passion for providing high-quality products and services. More information. 
Photo: conservation Jardin d'émail by Jean Dubuffet, photo: Marjon Gemmeke