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We selected four young artists who graduated this year from ArtEZ and HKU.
Lotte Manders, Stefan Bras, Yinzk and Arno Westerberg
(Maidentrip, the first voyage made by a ship.)
Four young artists who graduated this year are exhibiting their work. Two artists from the Utrecht School of the Arts (HKU) and two artists from ArtEZ University of the Arts in Arnhem. Whether this exhibition is really their Maidentrip remains to be seen. All four have already presented themselves with verve in the group shows, the finals at both academies. The final exhibitions are an exciting litmus test for these young artists. Will they be noticed? Will they perhaps be picked up by a gallery? Or are there collectors who will immediately purchase one of their works? When you are “noticed” and picked up by a gallery or collector, it's wonderful. The appreciation and compliments they receive are, of course, an incentive. But the downside is that there is immediate pressure on your shoulders. For them, there is no shelter or shade. Some may be better off if they are not “seen”. They can continue to develop and grow in their artistry at their own pace.
Nevertheless, Collectie DE.GROEN is also giving these four artists the opportunity to step into the limelight with their work. Four solo presentations. Two in the first half of the period from September to December and two in the second half. For these artists, it may be the first time they can present themselves solo in one of the back rooms at DE.GROEN. Hence the Maiden Trip.
Lotte Manders (ArtEZ) and Stefan Bras (HKU) are kicking things off.
Manders' animations and videos are astonishingly simple. In the stop-motion videos Onze buiken kruipen over elkaar 1 and 2 (Our bellies crawl over each other 1 and 2), her own body plays the leading role. Her body drags itself like a snail through the different rooms. From bedroom to desk to living room. Over cushions, mattresses and laundry. Between cups on the table and so on. These are wonderful moving images that are extremely surprising in their intimacy and know how to hold the viewer's attention.
Stefan Bras' sculptures do not excel in conventional aesthetic beauty. He works with materials and objects that come directly from our consumer society. At first glance, a sculpture by Bras resembles a disorderly sequence of objects and shapes. Readymades, plaster, cardboard, polystyrene, everything is incorporated into his sculptures. Recognisable readymades merge into amorphous plaster-like structures. Do not expect beautiful images and forms from him. His sculptures demand attention. Only then do they reveal themselves.
The second period features the work of Yinzk (ArtEZ) and Arno Westerberg (HKU).
Yinzk works with music, performance and video. The presentation of Yinzk's work during the finals at ArtEZ was impressive in all its modesty. Yinzk had a small space at his disposal. It was soberly furnished with a screen, a good sound system and a large cushion. Yinzk's presentation revolved around a (music) album, Mother Universe, and an (accompanying) film, I Am A Portal, So Are You. This is also the title of the book that Yinzk presented in a small edition during the finals. Yinzk advocates redefining and reliving love, trust, community and gentleness. Collaborations with other artists and designers are an important and substantive part of Yinzk's work.
Arno Westerberg (HKU) is a true painter. During the presentation at the HKU, his paintings stood out because of the uniqueness that the work exudes. At the same time, the painterly quality of his work gives the impression that the paintings have been around for decades. This is not a disqualification but rather a compliment. That painterly quality is evident in the brushstrokes, the chalky mattness of some of his canvases, but also in the compositions. Sometimes a canvas leans heavily towards abstraction. Another painting is almost a cartoon. Abstract or recognisable, Westerberg's paintings always retain a certain elusiveness. That is to the painter's credit. When asked what his ambition is, Westerberg replies in English: “My goal is to paint for the rest of my life.” The direct honesty and innocence of his answer is something you see reflected in his paintings.