Ruudt Peters at Museum Arnhem: fifty years of art jewellery

Museum Arnhem on the Utrechtseweg.

Ruudt Peters (1950) is one of the most important innovators of contemporary art jewellery. Museum Arnhem shows more than fifty years of his work in the exhibition BEZIELING. It opens to the public on 21 November 2026 and runs until 7 February 2027. It is on view in the museum's corridor.

For Peters, the piece of jewellery is often the starting point, but his work goes beyond something you can wear. Many of his creations are works of art in their own right. The body is not always needed to show them. Peters uses jewellery to make ideas and stories visible. He explores subjects such as spirituality, religion, identity, sexuality, nature and the relationship between humankind and the universe. Besides jewellery, he also makes objects, drawings and installations. The exhibition shows his work in that range.

In BEZIELING, the route runs largely from older to newer work. Alongside jewellery and objects, drawings and sketches from the same years are on view. They show how Peters develops his ideas into works of art and how he has repeatedly pushed the boundaries of jewellery. The exhibition shows different sides of him, from minimalism and symbolism to sexuality and spiritual growth.

One idea that keeps returning is 'as below, so above'. It is the thought that patterns and forms repeat themselves, from the earth to the universe.

The colour cobalt blue plays an important role. For Peters, it stands for Afflatus, the inspiring force that gives life, inspiration and meaning to the world around us. At the end of the exhibition stands a large cobalt-blue tree that Peters developed especially for BEZIELING. His newest works are shown in it. The tree stands for an endpoint and a new beginning, and for work that keeps branching out into new ideas, forms and meanings.

The exhibition includes Blue Collar, a necklace from 1972, Natatio from 1986, Eye from 1987, LAPIS karbonkel from 1997 and Sefiroth malkuth from 2007. Museum Arnhem has its own ties with the artist. It holds the largest museum collection of Peters' work, with almost a hundred objects. The artist himself donated part of it in 2025. No other museum owns as much of his work.

The exhibition was made possible with support from the Municipality of Arnhem, the VriendenLoterij and the Mondriaan Fund. Museum Arnhem is at Utrechtseweg 87 in Arnhem and is open Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm. The garden, Café Pierre and the shop are freely accessible during opening hours.

Practical information

Exhibition: BEZIELING, Ruudt Peters

Address: Utrechtseweg 87, 6812 AA Arnhem

Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm

Runs from 21 November 2026 to 7 February 2027

On view in the museum's corridor