“I’m grateful that we are such a close family. We truly got through this loss together”

For Esther and Michael Huijser, art is not confined to the workplace. It shapes their evenings, holidays and the way they bring people together.

Esther began working as head of marketing and communications at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in December, after a period at the Royal Jaarbeurs in Utrecht. The cultural sector, where she had worked before, drew her back. The museum's renewed building is due to open in 2030, while visitors currently see its collection and exhibitions at the Depot. The Pindakaasvloer by Wim T. Schippers was recently installed there again as a tribute to the late artist.

Michael studied political science rather than art history, but he worked in an art dealership as a student and opened a gallery at 26. He later co-founded Art Rotterdam before moving into the museum world, first as director of the Zuiderzeemuseum. He has now started as director-general of the Mondriaan Fund, bringing together his experience in visual art, heritage and museums.

The couple met as neighbors in Amsterdam's Jordaan district. Their work and private lives often overlap: they attend openings in the evening, seek out museums and concerts while traveling, and recently visited Es Baluard, Mallorca's museum of modern and contemporary art, as soon as they returned to Palma. Esther describes herself as a connector, while Michael says her collaborations go beyond casual networking. One example was a pop-up exhibition of Gerrit Rietveld's iconic crate chair, created with the Centraal Museum for a trade fair. In Rotterdam, she is already working with the Euromast, Spido and Remastered.