DNA IKEA at Cacaofabriek, Helmond - Opening: Sunday, November 17, 3 PM. Welcome !

DNA IKEA is a follow-up to the Billy Combinations exhibition in Hoofddorp and Berlin (2010, 2018).
Ikea once started to make affordable and accessible for everyone from the ideal design furniture. That "democratic" design is simple, but sophisticated in design and now recognizable as part of countless interiors. You could say that such furniture forms the backdrop to today's life. Equality is a wonderful ideal, but uniformity is intolerable. I’ll be showing ‘IKEA is a Four Letter word’ (2018).

This project is based on a concept by Guda Koster and Frans van Tartwijk. Thank you!

De Cacaofabriek is the cultural centre of Helmond. On view till January 19, 2020. De Cacaofabriek

Text /About this work, EN/NL

Invite, click on the image

SAVE THE DATE - 2020.01.10 Opening / De Vishal, Haarlem - Kleine Zaal / Border Crossing

The curator of the ‘Kleine Zaal’ of De Vishal in Haarlem Claus-Pierre Leinenbach invited me to make a site-specific work for this cabinet. The installation can be viewed 24/7 from the square (Grote Markt). At the same time, the exhibition Border Crossing is programmed in De Vishal main hall. Curator Irene van de Mheen enters into a collaboration with 3 Spanish artists.

De curator van de kleine Zaal in de Vishal, CP Leinenbach heeft me uitgenodigd om in situ werk te maken voor dit kabinet. De kleine zaal is 24/7 uur te zien vanaf het plein, De Grote Markt. Tegelijkertijd is de tentonstelling Border Crossing te zien, waarbij curator Irene van de Mheen een samenwerking aangaat met 3 Spaanse kunstenaars.

01.11 - 02.09. 2020
De Vishal, Grote Markt 20, Haarlem

Commissioned work, summer 2019

This summer I worked on a number of commissioned paintings in my studio. This painting is a nine-letter word and now hangs in an apartment in Jakarta. In addition, I am now busy finishing a series of three paintings 'SISTERS', which will be sent to Toronto soon.

In het atelier heb ik van de zomer aan een aantal schilderijen in opdracht gewerkt. Dit schilderij is een negenletter woord en hangt nu in een apartement in Jakarta. Daarnaast ben ik nu met de afwerking bezig voor een serie van drie schilderijen 'SISTERS', dat binnenkort naar Toronto wordt verstuurd.

A NINE LETTER WORD / 40 x 40 cm / acrylic on canvas / 2019 / private collection

SISTERS, detail of a work in progress / 50 x 50 cm (3x) / acrylic on linen / 2019 / private collection in Canada

ISCP > FALL BENEFIT AUCTION 2019 > MISS, print (M)

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2019 / 7–9:30 PM
8 PM LIVE AUCTION OF SELECTED WORK CONDUCTED BY SARAH KRUEGER OF PHILLIPS
NANCY HOFFMAN GALLERY
520 W 27th STREET, NEW YORK

MISS - white - green print, from the FIVE FOUR, MORE LESS series / digital print on archival paper 315 gsm / 24 x 30 “ (61 x 76 cm) / AP, 1 of 2 ( edition of 5 ) / signed on the back / click on image for enlargment

Link to ARTSY

Stay tuned for the online auction on ARTSY
> October 1–October 16, 2019

The Fall Benefit has become an ever more successful event each year to generate support for ISCP.
I donated a MISS - white - green print, from the Five Four, More Less series for this auction on Artsy.

During my residency at ISCP in 2017, I worked on the series which was based on a selection of words in English consisting of four letters. I referenced Robert Indiana’s artwork LOVE, in which the four letters comprising the word are stacked in units of two to form a square. Approaching letters as abstract motifs and signs, that is to say the meaning of the word is secondary - while the interplay between the shapes and the background, between positive and negative space, is crucial. The images are composed of broader colored planes as well as lines of different thickness.
> View more images of the series Link to FFML page

NOUMENON drawings (2016 - 2018)

02-02-16 / permanent marker on paper / 21 x 29 cm each / 250 gs paper

Series of drawings with parallel and intersecting lines.
Noumenon page

Silence is like sleep: it refreshes wisdom*

Exhibitions Coming up
November 2019 > Billy Combinations (working title) in De Cacaofabriek, Helmond (NL)
April 2020 > Contemporary Contemplations #6 in Galerie Ursula Walter, Dresden (DE)

* from Novum Organum by Francis Bacon (1561 - 1626)

CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPLATIONS #5 IN ACEC, APELDOORN> OPENING May 11 - 16.00 hrs

Repetition brings rhythm, structure, efficiency, beauty and is sometimes soothing and contemplative. The traveling exhibition Contemporary Contemplations is now located in ACEC Apeldoorn. Happy to be in the show which is now presenting it’s fifth edition. Curated by Gerda Kruimer and Rene Eicke. The show will open on Saturday May 11, 16.00.

Finissage: June 23, 14.00 -16.00

LINK ACEC, Apeldoorn / May 11 - June 23 / Open: Wednesday - Sunday, 12.00 - 17.30 hrs
I’m showing studies of the Closed Circuit series there. LINK to Circuit-page

Participants: Linda Arts / Cees Andriessen / Isabelle Borges (D) / Bram Braam / Piet Dieleman / Marieke van Diemen / René Eicke / Carina Ellemers / Ditty Ketting / Gracia Khouw / Peter K. Koch (D) / Gerda Kruimer / Annekatrin Lemke (D) / Bas Lobik / Zaida Oenema / DAG (D) / Marleen van Wijngaarden / Patricia Westerhoz (D) / Yumiko Yoneda (JP)

Wall installation with Closed Circuit series at CC#5 in ACEC, Apeldoorn. At the back wall painting by Bas Lobik.

Photo, from left to right:
CC3 (yellow-black) / 2012 / 29 x 29 x 0,4 cm / acrylic on mdf
CC2 (red-black-white) / 2012 / 2019 / 29 x 30 x 0,4 cm / acrylic on mdf
CC2 - s (red-black-white) / 2012 / 2019 / 26 x 26 x 0,4 cm / acrylic on mdf
CC4 (black-white-red) / 2012 / 30 x 30 x 0,4 cm / acrylic on mdf

The Closed Circuit series are made up of identical letters that are grouped in such a way that they form a closed unit. You no longer distinguish what form and negative form is; and riveted to each other that it can no longer be visually separated. Searching for the boundary between language, meaning and image it’s a study of what makes a logo. These works were created in 2012/2013 and lasercut from 4 mm MDF plate. The following year I made the work larger on 4 mm dibond. Link to CC-page

Kees Koomen Blog

A post about the exhibition HET WOORD. Kees Koomen, visual artist and organizer of art events, writes about the shows he’s visited. ‘A bundle of broken mirrors’ it says on his blog. He was also present at the artis talk in Pictura, Dordrecht last Saturday April 20.
Link to Kees Koomen’s blog

From the Pictura Instagram post: Monica Aerden (moderator) in conversation with Gracia Khouw and visitors

WOORDEN IN BEELD / PICTURA / BLAD / 01 / 2019

Article by Evertine van Alphen for the Pictura Magazine about the exhibition. On show till May 5.
Go to TWAALF (TWELVE) series page

UPDATE 5 >> Het WOORD / Ode aan de Synode, Pictura Dordrecht

>> change of programme
April 20 (Saturday)

> 3 PM - concert T. Smit’s work

>> 4 PM - walk - through with Monica Aerden >> I will be present !

March 30 - May 5 2019
Tanja Smit, Niels Post, Gracia Khouw

TWELVE / TWAALF
The number twelve carries religious symbolism, generally representing perfection, entirety, or cosmic order in traditions since antiquity.
For the exhibition 'Het woord' I’ve collected approximately 900 Dutch twelve-letter words. From this list I’ll select twelve twelve-letter words that I’ll elaborate into twelve images. These will be shown as large format posters, fine art prints and a leporello.

For this project I’m collaborating with Landa van Vliet who’s sense of language is extensive, and for me related to the area of South of Holland specifically. I’ve asked her to write a text about the number 12 and twelve letter words. We discussed about the words, and also about the words that did’t make the selection. Words like ‘keelgeluiden’ (throat sounds) or ‘verhandeling’ (treatise or essay). Her text ‘Levenswandel tot mijn twaalfde’ (‘Walk of life until I was twelve’) has an overwhelming quality, a bit like all the twelve letter words in the list. I’m very proud of the result. Brought together in the zig zag fold prose and images add different approach to thinking about the Dutch language and it’s connection to images.

Preview images
Read Press release Pictura NL/EN

Schotschrift, leporello, with prose Landa van Vliet (NL),
103,6 x 21 cm (folded A5 = 14,8 x 21 cm), digital print, limited edition
limited edition 144 + 12 / € 24,00 + shipping mail to reserve a copy

001 /from the series TWAALF (TWELVE), 2019 / dimensions variable

> Click on the images and invite (NL)
LINK to Pictura

Photos of Pictura, Dordrecht and Robotlab, installation near Het Hof van Nederland museum

The Synod of Dordrecht was an international Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618–1619, by the Dutch Reformed Church, to settle a divisive controversy initiated by the rise of Arminianism. The synod also initiated an official Dutch Bible translation (the Statenvertaling, i.e. Translation of the States or, The Dutch Authorized Version) from the original languages that would be completed in 1637. Translators were appointed, and the States-General were asked to fund the project. It had a lasting impact on the standard Dutch language, which was just then beginning to gain wider acceptance and developing a literary tradition. It would remain the standard translation in Protestant churches for more than three centuries and still is used in some sister churches of the Netherlands Reformed Congregations and similar, smaller denominations.
(Wikipedia)

New images CONSTRUCTOR exhibition

New Images of the show with great photography by Kristel Ballaer
Link

A Ladies Thing / Barentsz Urban Fabric

IAMNOT A TOURIST is a silk scarf designed by me. Mirjam Hagoort of Barentsz Urban Fabric came up with the City Scarf concept with city maps and has invited other artists to design a scarf. I’m the first to do so.

The design originated in my personal experiences during walks through the city. While slaloming through the stream of tourists I’m often addressed in English, as if I’m part of the tourist mass. These experiences have an alienating effect on me. Even though I have Chinese-Indonesian background, I feel myself being an Amsterdammer through and through. I’m not a tourist in my own town.
I want tourists to be more aware of their destination and to delve into its culture, as true cosmopolitans. I’d like visitors to involve themselves in the environment and not behave indifferently to it.

Warm up with the IAMNOT A TOURIST scarf, so that the city's ups and downs don’t leave you cold!

Available online store Barentsz Urban Fabric ++ Dreamboat Store, Czar Peterstraat 145, Amsterdam ++ MINK at The Cool Collective, Magna Plaza, Amsterdam ++ Stedelijk, Amsterdam Buchhandlung Walther König ++ Museumshop Den Haag

IAMNOT, 70 x 170 cm, silk scarf, limited edition (2018)

IAMNOT SCARF, NOVEMBER 3 / 3 - 5 PM

IAMNOT is a new silk scarf which is the result of a collaboration between myself and Barentsz Urban Fabric. The words in red, orange and blue form a light hearted rebellious remark that will be familiar to those who know my work.

 The IAMNOT is a limited edition scarf and will be launched on Saturday November 3rd: 3 pm - 5 pm
at Dreamboat Studio & Store, Czaar Peterstraat 145, Amsterdam.

Save the date and pre-order your scarf now!

IAMNOT limited edition / scarf, 100% crepe de chine, 70x170cm, €89

CONSTRUCTOR, OPENING SATURDAY NOVEMBER 13 / 3 PM

Thrilled to be invited for this exhibition curated by Luc Hoekx and Arjan Janssen!
Welcome to the opening of CONSTRUCTOR with works by 18 international constructivist artists. Hope to see you there!
November 17, 3 PM, Galery Noord - Zuid, Art Academy of Arendonk
Address: Wampenberg 26, 2370 Arendonk (BE)
LINK TO LOCATION

TWAALF/TMLSHD 2018

Happy with the new print! The rhisograph, 29 x 42 cm TWAALF/TMSLHD will be presented tonight at WestWednesdays 19.30 hrs. Thank you Stencilzolder/Sander Janszweert!
Location: Tetterode Building, Bilderdijkstraat 165-B, Amsterdam

This special edition is only available via West Wednesdays and costs only € 6; all proceeds go to next WW programs.
Contact come@westwednesdays.com 

TOMELOOSHEID is a Dutch twelve letterword meaning being unrestrained or unbridledness. The word relates to the theme of this West Wednesday edition ‘Uitbundig’ (= exuberant). I set out to look for a word beginning with the letter T, and like in the name ‘Tetterode’, which is the name of the building, both words have 4 syllables.
It may be a starting point for a new series with Dutch twelve letter words.

OCTOBER 10, 2018 / WESTWEDNESDAYS, AMSTERDAM !

Welcome to West Wednesdays! A monthly program of gallery tours, performances and mini-lectures. The program starts at 18.00 hrs, at WG Terrein, with your host Nafiss Nia, a poet and writer.

The edition TWAALF/tmlshd is specially made for WW, and is presented is at 19.30 hrs. I will be in the Marble Hall with StencilZolder / Sander Janzweert, who made the prints. The print - on which a Dutch twelve letter word is visible will be on sale for a very reasonable price! Details about the print: TWAALF/tmlshd, 29 x 42 cm (A3) / riso on Munken white 150 gsm paper / edition of 50, only available via WW.

Location: Tetterode Building, Bilderdijkstraat 165-B, Amsterdam
The WW program continuous with a mini-lecture by Merijn Bolink, visual artist; he will talk about image recognition systems (10 min).

LINKS WW program (NL) Website WestWednesdays

Detail of the riso print TWAALF/tmlshd, photo Stencilzolder-Sander Janszweert

Greeting Cards
In November the design will also be available as greeting cards (15 x 22 cm, A5) with envelopes. Reserve your cards by sending me an email.

SAVE THE DATE - OCTOBER 10, 2018 / WESTWEDNESDAYS, AMSTERDAM

Join us for the presentation of a new edition TWELVE/tmlshd, in collaboration with West Wednesdays and StencilZolder.
Location: Tetterode Building, Bilderdijkstraat 165-B, Amsterdam during the monthly program of gallery tours, performances and mini-lectures.
Presentation of the edition is 19.30 hrs, followed by a mini-lecture by Merijn Bolink, visual artist, (10 min.) about image recognition systems. The riso print - with a twelve letter word, 29 x 42 cm (A3) / edition of 50, will be for sale on the evening for a very reasonable price!
Link WestWednesdays

TWELVE/tmlshd, 29 x 42 cm / riso on Munken print white paper 150 grs / 2018 (detail of design)

CONSTRUCTOR / GROUP SHOW

Works with elementary and constructive basis

Opening Saturday 17 november, 15.00 hrs. Welcome!

Group show, curators Luc Hoekx and Arjan Janssen, with participants:
Kirstin Arndt (D), Bob Bonies (NL), Erwin Cattoor (B), Willem Cole (B), Mario De Brabandere (B), Johan Gelper (B), Luc Hoekx (B), Arjan Janssen (NL),  Gracia Khouw (NL), Jai Llewellyn (GB), Riki Mijling (NL), Karim Noureldin (CH), Lon Pennock (NL), Vincent de Roder (B), Rainer Splitt (D), Shawn Stipling (GB), Takashi Suzuki (JP), Piet Tuytel (NL)

link to Galerie N-Z / Academie Arendonk
initiative of Abstracte.eu

17 november - 23 december 2018 in Galerie N-Z in Arendonk (BE)

MP (1) / 100 x 155 cm / acrylic on canvas / 2017