fabrieksels
statement
When I see presence
I feel absence
When I search absence
I experience presence
The tension between absence and presence is an important theme in my work.
A significant part of my work takes the form of contemporary jewellery. From an early age I have been fascinated by jewellery when it was not worn but hidden away in beautiful jewel boxes and shown to me by women in my life who were important to me. I could sense their deep attachment for these jewellery pieces, which were loaded with memories of loved ones and special moments in life, yet hardly ever physically connected to the body. They created a magical tension between absence and presence. In my work I try to capture this tension through choice of discipline, shape and material.
In general I put elements in my work that resemble images, shapes, materials, feelings that people are familiar with or have experienced before. This creates an instant connection through presence. On closer observation however things are not what they seem, in their concrete presence they confront us with an absence. I want people to feel this mixed emotion, confusion, discomfort before embracing a new presence.
Influenced by my experiences as a child, I’ve been investigating all sorts of materials to capture this special tension of the hidden aspect of beautiful objects. At the moment I work with golden chips (and plastic) from used credit cards, materials that capture my emotion very closely and that I want to explore further. The golden chips were once the visual part of an invisible world of communication, identity, information and money. Their function connected us to other people. At the same time we kept these symbols of communication hidden, close to our bodies, creating a form of intimacy. By transforming the used chips that were once charged with all this information, I try to reload them. Now that they have become pieces of jewellery they will be charged with new meaning by the wearer, again invisible for the viewer, shaping a new intimate context.
Looking at my work you’ll find echoes of old traditions. There is usually some presence of the past, joined with present-day materials in an embracement for the future.
ik
Hester Popma- van de Kolk / visual artist / 1971 / Leusden-NL
2019
Exhibitions
ZomerExpo/Summerexhibition EUROPA
Museum de Fundatie, Zwolle/NL
2018
Exhibitions
Gioielli in Fermento
Oratorio San Rocco, Padua/Italy
2017
Exhibitions
Exhibition in Print “Repair and Renewal: Making Things Whole Again”
Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh USA
Gioielli in Fermento 2017- Master Collection
Torre Fornello Vineyard, Fornello di Ziano Piacentino/ Italy
Publications
Narrative Jewelry- Mark Fenn/ Schiffer books
SNAG and Metalsmith magazine -Exhibition in Print “Repair and Renewal: Making Things Whole Again”2017
2016
Exhibitions
TRIPLE PARADE × 3 2016: Dialogue across You and Me to Them: Creator, Wearer, Viewer
SHENGXI Art Museum Tianjin/China
GAUGUIN Gallery, Beijing/China
METALLOphone: BONDS The 3rd International Biennial of Contemporary Metal Art
(AV17) gallery, Vilnius/ Lithuania
Lithuanian Artists Association gallery, Vilnius/ Lithuania
6a Muestra Anuario de Joyería Contemporánea
Madrid JOYA, Spain
ESPAIJOIA, Barcelona/ Spain
Publications
Arte y Joya summer/autumn #201– Grupo Duplex
Contemporary Jewellery Yearbook 2016/2017 – Grupo Duplex
ausgezeichnet! most excellent! Jewellery Art for Heroes– Arnoldsche Art Publishers
2015
Awards
VI Premio Internacional Arte y Joya, Barcelona/ Spain
Premio Gioielli in Fermento 2015 – menzione speciale KLIMT02, Ziano Piacentino/ Italy
Exhibitions
Beijing International Contemporary Metal & Jewelry Art Exhibition 2015 (BIC·MAJA 2015)
The China Millennium Monument World Art Museum, Beijing/China
Ausgezeichnet! Most excellent!
Wasserschloß Klaffenbach, Chemnitz/ Germany
5a Muestra Anuario de Joyería Contemporánea
Madrid JOYA, Spain
ESPAIJOIA, Barcelona/ Spain
Gioielli in fermento V edizione
Torre Fornello Vineyard, Fornello di Ziano Piacentino/ Italy
Gallery ALLIAGES, Lille/ France
Publications
Contemporary Jewellery Yearbook 2015/2016– Grupo Duplex
Catalogue Gioielli in Fermento 2015
2014
Collections
World Crafts Council AISBL, Beijing/China
Awards
Bronze Prize World Crafts Council AISBL, International Contemporary Craft Competition, Nantong/ China
Nominee MineralART ‘Between layers- words within agate’ , International Design Contest, Idar-Oberstein/ Germany
Nominee Gioielli in fermento ‘ wearing the colours of wine’, International Torre Fornello Award, Ziano Piacentino/ Italy
Nominee Zomerexpo/ Summerexhibition ‘Licht’ , The Hague/NL
Exhibitions
NICB ‘Past, Today and Future of Arts and Crafts’
Nantong International Contemporary Craft Biennale, Nantong/ China
MineralART ‘Between layers-world within agate’
State Collections of Antiquities, Munich/ Germany
Deutsches Edelsteinmuseum, Idar-Oberstein/ Germany
Gioielli in fermento ‘ wearing the colours of wine’
Torre Fornello Vineyard, Fornello di Ziano Piacentino, Italy
Enoteca Regionale Emilia Romagna, Dozza’s Rocca Sforzesca, Italy
Rivellino Art Gallery, Locarno/ Switserland
OFF JOYA, Boffi showroom, Barcelona/ Spain
ZomerExpo/Summerexhibition LICHT
Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, The Hague/NL
The shape of dreams, Beautiful people Live Art, virtual exhibition
Publications
1000 Beads – Lark Books
Catalogue Gioielli In Fermento 2014
Catalogue Zomerexpo Licht- ArtWorlds
2013
Publications
Kunstbeeld #3
Edelmetaal #1
2012
Awards
Winner New Traditional Jewellery ‘ NEW NOMADS’ International Design Contest, Amsterdam/ Netherlands
Nominee Zomerexpo/Summerexhibition ‘ Liefde’, The Hague/NL
Exhibitions
New Traditional Jewellery-NEW NOMADS
SIERAADArtFair Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam/NL
Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Arnhem / NL
Zomerexpo/Summerexhibition LIEFDE
Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, The Hague/NL
Publications
Goldschmiede Zeitung #9
Catalogue Zomerexpo Liefde- WBooks
contact
Hester Popma- van de Kolk
- Phone: +31 6 40109275
- Email: hester@ikfabriek.nl
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