ONZIJN is a collection of art that includes photos, drawings, and 3-dimensional and digital works, all created in a series of 11. In the Netherlands, eleven is known as the 'crazy number' because it only divides by itself and is...
Read MoreONZIJN is a collection of art that includes photos, drawings, and 3-dimensional and digital works, all created in a series of 11. In the Netherlands, eleven is known as the 'crazy number' because it only divides by itself and is positioned between the perfect number 10 and the sacred number 12. Eleven is the odd one out, representing what is different and imperfect. This concept aligns with what is called the 'elusive beauty of imperfection' in Japan.www.onzijn.comIt is at the border between beautiful and ugly, within the frayed edges, that images become fascinating. Patterns in nature are the primary source of inspiration for my work. By capturing and studying these patterns, the work emerges in an organic flow, much like rivers winding through the landscape. Ink flows in irregular lines over tissue paper and fragile eggshells, feathers or leaves expressing the vulnerability and resilience of both humans and nature.
Patterns in nature are beautiful and intriguing. I photographed them in various places, from beaches to forests and cities, and discovered recurring shapes in these patterns in different locations, even in the tissues of our bodies! Then, I started creating personal work in a way that patterns in nature emerge, letting the ink flow over the paper just like water meanders through a landscape, in a natural flow.
Working Method
No fixed idea or image is created in advance. The tissue paper is crumpled into a ball and then unfolded, creating an unpredictable canvas. Ink flows in irregular lines over the paper, finding its way across the sheet in patterns similar to those seen in nature. The result works on the boundary of beautiful and ugly, the frayed edges; that's where images become interesting and is what they call the elusive beauty of imperfection in Japan: Wabi Sabi. This way of working allows space for what is new and different, what deviates. Through my work, I try to comprehend and understand patterns. Patterns contain millions of years of knowledge on how to survive with constantly changing conditions. I learn from these patterns by photographing, drawing, and painting them.
What do I learn from patterns?
It is striking that natural patterns are interconnected; they often work together. They adapt and align with each other. Patterns in nature resemble each other but, are never the same. There is room to be flexible and to adjust to specific circumstances that arise. Tailored solutions. A pattern often has a clear basic structure with 'free space' around it. That free space is the area where art and science thrive best because you are looking for new things and solutions in unknown territory or different ways to view the familiar. I noticed that I framed my work too tightly to maintain control, causing that 'free space' to disappear. The free space is precisely important for gaining new insights and creating new work. To play, experiment, be creative, flexible, unpredictable, and fluid, to move along and connect with the natural flow.
Natural boundaries are irregular, never straight. A drop of ink on the sheet always chooses the most logical route. Patterns adapt to circumstances and work together. Nature on balance shows enormous diversity. Rich biodiversity stands for optimally healthy ecosystems; diversity stands for wealth and is of added value. Teams that collaborate will need to be diverse to achieve optimal results for our society, but especially for restoring and sustaining flourishing ecosystems. With my work, I want to contribute to understanding the language of nature better and to find ways to connect and interact with nature in symbiosis.
