Special Request
In December 2011 Henny Duenk celebrated his 25th anniversary as an art handler at the Centraal Museum. As a member of the Technical Staff he helps install artworks and build exhibitions. Instead of having a reception, Henny requested to organize his very own exhibition. And so he did.
Photo: Ieteke van Kuik
Henny is a big fan of the famous Dutch blues band Cuby & the Blizzards. ‘I first heard of the band in 1972 when I was 16 years old. They split up that very year! Much later, in 1995, the band got back together. I have been to many concerts since then, and I started my collection: singles, lp’s in as many different versions as possible, and news items for example from Hitweek.’
Henny organized this personal exhibition in the upper chapel of the museum. On display is the following: a discography, movies of shows and interviews, other documentation and an installation of instruments including Hans Waterman’s original drums (loaned by the Cuby & the Blizzards Museum in Grolloo). The exhibition covers the period between 1965 and 1972.
Unfortunately the band’s leading man Harry ‘Cuby’ Muskee passed away on 26 September 2011. In accordance with his widow, it was decided to continue the preparations for the exhibition, which were already in an advanced stadium at that point.
Jeroen Wielaert, author of the book De Missie – De kruispunten van Harry ‘Cuby’ Muskee (2003) interviewed Henny with reference to the Cuby exhibition and the striptease that caused a riot in 1969 in the Perkaan cafe in Wezup (Drenthe). The interview was broadcast on national radio, and is still available online on the NOS radio website.
Working in the Centraal Museum for 25 years has turned Henny into an expert of the collection. He has shared his favorite objects in a set, which you can view here (dutch).
