writings
MA THESIS (2018) / I HAVE ONE EYE THAT IS ALWAYS SAD
"I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but I was in the fifth year of the Dutch primary school. [..] It was then that I found out that my own brain did not cope with such detailed stories about the human body. So for a short moment the light went literally out. It only lasted a split second as I woke up from feeling pain. When I fainted I fell over to the side of my classmate, whose chair legs were apparently broken, so I hit the edge of the curved metal with my head. [...] It healed fine and there is no real visible scar, except for that the skin above my eye hangs down a bit. Since then I have one eye that is always sad, no matter how I try to smile in the mirror."
The master thesis I wrote during my last year at the Master Contemporary Arts Practice, Bern (CH) consists of elements that are a big part of my practice as an artist. They are my muses, constant reminders and the things that have impacted my life. The different elements are made visible by the use of various types of paper, creating a tiny notebook containing a collage of thoughts. Themes that are included range from personal stories to research compiled into fake encyclopedia pages, quotes and visual imagery.
BA THESIS (2015) / The Contemporary Allurement of Our Fading Heritage
As part of my thesis for my Bachelor of Arts degree I conducted interviews with 4 contemporary young artists from different backgrounds on how they deal with actively incorporating elements from their roots and heritage, even though it seems to fade away from our daily lives. I was interested in seeing how other people deal with a similar situation to the one I was in myself. Working with elements from places, family and history one does not have a direct link with anymore.
MIYA ANDO / FRAGILE STRENGTH
As a 16th generation Bizen sword maker Miya Ando (1978) works very close to her familial traditions and ancient heritage. She has continued the art of sword smithing and Buddhist lineage by combining metals, reflectivity and light in her transcendent paintings and sculptures.
NIKA NEELOVA / FADED
The use of reclaimed architectural features and old timber are often the main choice of elements to work with for Nika Neelova (1987), largely because of the historical memory that is embedded within these materials. “They carry a story of a past life.” From these materials she makes evocative sculptures and installations that can be linked to themes as history, personal memory, and the rise and fall of civilizations.
CARWYN EVANS / BE-LONGING
Inspired by his own ‘migration’ from the rural countryside of Wales to its capital Cardiff, Carwyn Evans (1979) explores the different sides of internal émigrés within his artworks. The key elements being the cultural, rural and linguistics differences, but mainly also his own family’s history.
JANNE VAN GILST / HAVEN
Growing up on one of the smallest island of the Dutch province Zeeland, Noord-Beveland, still has a great impact on how Janne van Gilst (1991) perceives the world around her. She is not only fascinated by the differences between the city and the countryside, but also has the strong feeling she can tell important things through them.