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Wim T. Schippers, Dutch Artist and Television Innovator, Dies at 83

The foundation confirmed a private burial while the Stedelijk Museum will open a public presentation of his work 'Wim is weg' on July 1, 2026, marking the start of official commemoration.

Overview

  • The Stichting Wim T. Schippers announced his death in Amsterdam on Monday, June 15, 2026, and said he will be buried in a private family ceremony.
  • The Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam will present Schippers’s work 'Wim is weg' at 17:00 on July 1, 2026, as the first public act of remembrance tied to the foundation’s announcement.
  • Schippers rose to prominence in visual art after the Stedelijk Museum bought his drawings in 1959 and later became best known for the conceptual work Pindakaasvloer at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.
  • He reshaped Dutch television from the late 1960s onward through provocative programmes such as Hoepla and the Fred Haché Show, and he created enduring TV characters while also voicing Ernie, Graaf Tel and Kermit on Sesamstraat.
  • The foundation is the sole heir and says Schippers left a large body of finished and unfinished work in his studio, and trustees plan soon to review which projects and ideas can be realised for future public display.