Solo - exhibition ‘Botanical Stories’
Since winning the International Award for New Ceramics last summer, this year has been a fascinating journey of dreaming and creating, of research and planning, of picking wildflowers and sketching, of walking and being inspired by details in the forest, ... of creating 'Botanical Stories' in porcelain.
In this blogpost I'd like to share some background stories and my thoughts on the concept of the exhibition. Be prepared for a little sneak peek of what to expect!
All my work is inspired by the natural world; from the hellebore in my garden to the mushrooms I come across when walking in the woods.
The exhibition is set up around 3 major themes: the garden, the herbarium and the forest. They all have a unique story to tell…
I have to admit: I don't think I could live without a garden. It's essential for my wellbeing in so many ways. And I'm really grateful to have one where I can work in, grow flowers and food and enjoy the cycle of the seasons.
In the garden one can find contemplation, space, hope and a sense of connection. It's a place to unwind and to come home, but above all it is silence and rest. At least, hat's how it feels for me.
The garden offers me a corner where I can surround myself with plants and flowers, a shelter from the rest of the world. And it's here where I find the inspiration for the garden themed artworks I've made.
Ever fleeting, ever changing and shifting with the seasons; flowers weren't made to last. Time spent in observation and admiration is time well spent, I believe.
The study of the life cycle from seed to mature growth, from full bloom to decay is something that resonates throughout the natural world and in my work.
Old herbaria, the historical Wunderkammer, botanical illustrations, antique garden pictures, dried flowers and plants, … they all served as a source of inspiration for my Herbarium collection.
The typical Wunderkammer is often filled with a collection of rare and exotic species, collected from faraway countries, flora as well as fauna and unique items. I mainly focus on the aspect of natural history of the cabinet of curiosities. My work only relates to the natural world and more specific to the ordinary and common plants.
I want to arouse wonder for the beauty of the plants that surround us. Plants that can be found in ordinary places, like wildflowers. Due to the climate change some of them are already endangered and might soon become rare species. So by making them in fired porcelain I collect them in a way and make them lasting for future generations.
My notebook full with ideas and sketches for new artworks.
A huge moodboard with collected pictures to define the style and atmosphere of the exhibition I wanted to create.
A detail of my version of an herbarium; a combination of dried plants and porcelain pieces.
This antique metal box is like a small Wunderkammer; a collection of porcelain pieces and real dried plants are combined around a botanical theme and displayed in an aesthetic way.
Cardboard boxes are filled with botanical illustrations and corresponding porcelain flower parts. A three-dimensional study of the botanical flower world.
Besides being in my garden, I love to walk in the forest. In the depths of the emerald woods, where the air is filled with a moist and earthly scent there is space to breathe and relax. There are so many treasures to be found; woodland foliage, carpets of moss and mushrooms in different shapes and colours.
One only needs to know where to look…
‘Stories of moss’ is a porcelain accordion notebook filled with 10 types of dried moss and a label with their corresponding Latin name.
There will also be a new collection of glass domes and bottles with various mushrooms.
We're coming to the end of my story book. On these last pages of my Botanical Stories, ferns are unfurling and a foxglove is blooming, telling the never-ending story of the beauty of the natural world.
Nature is always present and yet never the same, always rich with inspiration and she holds many stories.
I kindly invite you to discover them during my exhibition which runs from 3.08.24 until 20.09.2024 in the Castle of Oldenburg, Germany.
I hope you will enjoy a slow walk in the enchanting setting of Oldenburg Castle where you'll discover the beauty and treasures of nature, made of porcelain with love.