Cobra in woord en beeld

The Cobra movement stands out as a key international avant-garde force in post-World War II European art. Artists from many backgrounds collaborated to foster an environment where art was accessible to all and anyone could be a creator. At the heart of Cobra’s philosophy was a commitment to free and spontaneous artistic expression. The movement’s artists drew inspiration from children’s art and works by those with mental illness, valuing the genuine impulse to create found in these sources. They also embraced the expressive qualities of their own handwriting, considering it a deeply personal form of self-expression, which led them to look to Eastern calligraphy for further ideas. As a result, written elements are often prominent in Cobra artworks.

Several members of the Cobra movement—including Asger Jorn, Christian Dotremont, Joseph Noiret, Lucebert, and Constant—were not just visual artists but also authors. Some collaborated with De Vijftigers, a literary group linked to Cobra in the Netherlands and Belgium. These partnerships led to distinctive lithographic works, with albums and portfolios often produced in limited runs that blended both text and imagery.

This special exhibition at the Dutch Museum of Lithography in Valkenswaard highlights the link between words and images in Cobra artists’ lithographs. Several featured pieces are being exhibited for the first time.