exhibition

Schreeuw van de Stilte / Avondlicht (Cry of Silence / Evening Light)

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Exhibition

Schreeuw van de Stilte - Avondlicht
Cry of Silence- Evening Light

 

 

Opening Saturday May 20

 

Showing new oil paintings by Wilson Garcia and assemblages by Ria Houwen.

Ode to friendship
This first duo exhibition is based on the longtime friendship between Garcia and Houwen and at the same time it is an expression of their mutual respect for each other’s artistic careers. Both are well-known and successful artists, with strong ties to Curaçao, who have known each other for years, but never exhibited their art together.

Garcia, through his oil paintings, advocates for Curaçao's artistic legacy. In Schreeuw van de Stilte (Cry of Silence), he wants to pay respect to those who paved foundations on artistic and creative levels. This is a cry to remind others not to forget them. "With my paintings, I want to honor Pacheco Domacassé, Diana Lebacs, Ced Ride, and also my wife, Ria Garcia. People who have inspired me and continue to inspire me."

For Houwen, Avondlicht (Evening Light) means the light that slips away. A last gentle touch. "It is an ode to a lifelong friendship, where memories are safely locked in the heart, and then suddenly surface, along with the realization of how precious they are. It's like life in mythological times, light-footed, as if you're being lifted. Friendships had wings. Now there is only a light, a last glow and a feeling of gratitude."

In Avondlicht, Ria Houwen presents a collection of assemblages called "Pandora's Box” which she first exhibited in 2002. These are small boxes, some slightly open and others wide open. They invite you to peek and examine closer. The boxes are transformed by recycled mixed media. Worn, torn, and old materials of which their history is still palpable. According to Houwen, these objects are the key to unlocking the secrets of the subconscious, a gateway to ancient times, myths, and fairy tales that still hold power today. They bear witness to lives once lived in a distant, forgotten world of dreams, desires, and dramas.

Wilson Garcia: colorful connections between people

Wilson Garcia is a Curaçaoan artist who has made a name for himself in education and in the art world on the island. He worked for years as a coordinator and teacher at the Akademia di Arte and as a visual arts teacher at the Akademia Pedagógiko. He also taught children aged 5 to 15 years old, promoting their creative minds. In addition, he illustrated numerous children's books and postage stamps for the Antillean postal service.

Even after his retirement, Garcia remains actively involved in education, for example through his work for the Fundashon Material pa Skol. In the Netherlands, he worked for the Institute for the Development of School Childcare. With his art and his commitment to education, Garcia has made a lasting contribution to the cultural richness of Curaçao and beyond.

In 2000, he moved to the Netherlands, where he continued painting. Garcia's art is personal and invites connection. He captures human interactions in his own characteristic way through sensual ton-sur-ton images. By directly mixing oil paint on the canvas, subtle transitions and nuances emerge in his work.

About Ria Houwen
Ria Houwen, a Dutch artist who called Curaçao her home for many years, is a fascinating and dynamic creator whose art has caught the attention of both local and international audiences. She taught at the Akademia di Arte, later became an art teacher at Radulphus College, and gave workshops both at home and on location.

Houwen's journey began at the Academy of Fine Arts in the Netherlands. She arrived in Curaçao in 1972, and soon thereafter made a name for herself in the local art scene with her first exhibition at 'galerie rg' in Punda in 1975. Since then, her work has taken her to many local and international exhibitions, establishing her name in the art world.

Houwen's work reflects her own personality, characterized by a remarkable tension between eroticism and spiritual life. This connects deeply with the Caribbean world where magic and reality are interwoven in a web of complexity. Her paintings reflect on the drama of the personal soul and connects it with the drama of the island, creating a stunning and unforgettable artistic experience.

 

In the Flow

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Exhibition

 

In the Flow
by Gwen Anderson

 

 

Opening Saturday April 8

 

In the Flow, the first solo exhibition in Curaçao by multi-disciplinary artist Gwen Anderson features a selection of mixed media artworks covering different periods of her artistic journey.

Journey through Art
In 2006 Gwen Anderson re-emerged in her artistic element when living in New York after she joined the Art Students League.  In 2008 she moved to London where she kept her artistic rhythm by joining various courses in a variety of disciplines such as mixed media painting, experimental drawing, fine art photography, live drawing and art history. In 2010 she enrolled at The Sir John Cass Faculty of Art, Media and Design at the Metropolitan University in London, where she later attended the Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design, and completed her Masters in Fine Arts (Hons), Merit in 2014. During her stay in London she participated in many exhibitions, alternating between London and Curaçao.

When she moved to Tokyo the next year, she immersed herself into travelling, creating art and participating in exhibitions.  In 2018 she moved back to Curaçao where she continued creating art and participated in many group exhibitions to this day.

In the Flow
As a multi-disciplinary artist, Gwen’s work is driven by bottomless curiosity. She has a background in science, which explains her constant urge to experiment. She pushes boundaries in her use of materials and techniques, exploring the relationship between order and chaos.

The paintings exhibited in this show, consist of multiple layers. In some of the works she uses silver leaf as a ‘clean slate’ on which colors, figures or images reflect themselves. The grids of tarnished silver leaf organize a silence onto which forms, or photographic images are placed as output from lifetime impressions. Other works are layers of encaustic, pigment, ink and shellac. The unpredictable nature of the materials and the hypnotic flame of her torch, help her to disappear into a meditative, focused state as she creates.

“My intention is to share the feeling of enchantment and tension that I experience in the creative process with my viewers. By layering different elements, forms and images, I aim to evoke a sense of watching things change in nature, and to allow the viewer to change their own thoughts and memories as time passes. My pieces all have a story to tell, but they are your stories, not mine.”

The Experience
On April 29 she will guide a workshop in the ‘pouring’ technique which will take place at Landhuis Bloemhof.
On May 6 you are welcome to visit her studio where you get a glimpse and feel of where she experiments artistically.

The exhibition will remain open to the public until May 13 in Landhuis Bloemhof.

 

Quit My Job, Paint Your Life

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Exhibition

 

 

Quit My Job, Paint Your Life

 

 

First solo exhibition by Chris Peralta
Opening Saturday January 13
Extended to April 1

Peralta's first solo exhibition Quit my job, Paint your life extended until April 1st

The past 5 weeks we look back at a very successful exhibition. The artist did not only sell almost all his paintings, but he also gained recognition for his artworks and the topics they triggered. For all the Peralta fans out there, stay tuned for part two of Quit my job, Paint your life with new work and more food for thought.

Peralta is a self-taught multi-disciplinary artist with a background in music, poetry and audiovisual storytelling. He stepped on the artistic stage back in 2016 when he returned from studying abroad. Since then, he actively joined the art scene, participated in many art manifestations, took part in the film production Watamula by director Kevin Osepa and performed in various poetry and storytelling events.

In 2018, Peralta rediscovered a new passion for painting and joined the IBB. The little time there helped him identify what he wants and from then on he continued to explore the world of visual arts and further develop a style of his own.

Peralta continued to hone his skills and find his artistic voice at Uniarte, where he has been an active member till 2021. In addition to his own work, Peralta is also a member of the community-driven collective Malsamaritano, where he and other young artists create and collaborate on a variety of projects, from music to pop-up events and community work.

Peralta is an artist that’s always been on the art radar at Landhuis Bloemhof. He participated in various events and group exhibitions. A studio visit in late 2021 gave us a more in depth look at his art and him as a person. Peralta is a free spirit with depth, introspective and isn’t afraid to be vulnerable. His painting style already knows different phases: from abstract to surrealism to realism with fantasy elements. What makes his work interesting is the use of different media and techniques.

As of August 2022 we noticed a shift in his painting style, especially in his color palette, figures, technique and composition. This transitional period resulted in an interesting self-discovery that was propelled and influenced by his new found loves: his partner and recently born son.

"I'm excited to share my work with the community and invite people to experience my journey through art," says Peralta. "The exhibition's title, 'Quit My Job, Paint Your Life,' reflects my decision to pursue my passion for art full-time and the importance of following your dreams and living a life that is true to yourself."

Lus riba Nanzi

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Exhibition

Lus riba Nanzi

 

 

Opening Saturday December 10
Group exhibition about the legendary spider Nanzi till January 8

 

'Lus riba Nanzi', a group exhibition dedicated to a legendary character from our oral literature, Kompa Nanzi is showing this Holiday season in Landhuis Bloemhof. For this theme exhibition we asked our artists to depict what Nanzi means to them in a work of art. Does Nanzi still have a right to exist? Who or what is it?

So far, 16 artists have responded:  Aemy Niafeliz, Alejandra Cijntje, Annemieke Dicke, Anna Lies Bruens, Team Nieuwkerk & Nieuwenhuizen, Giovanni Abath, Gwen Anderson, Hilma Koelman, Jaimary Boon, Kati Qui, Margarita Haakmat, Marianne Hagedoorn, Pito Polo, Ruthson Cecilia, Solaica Leito and Tayenne Winklaar. They surprised us with a great variety of paintings, sculptures, installations and mixed media artworks inspired by Nanzi.

To give merit to the unpredictable character of Kompa Nanzi, we are approaching this exhibit differently and called it a growing exhibition. Artists who after visiting us feel inspired, can still enter their contribution during the month of December. In any case, we start with 16 art works and are anxiously waiting to see who else will participate.

Art for the Roses

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Exhibition

Art for the Roses

 

 

Art for the Roses Exhibition and Silent Auction
Digital Catalogue available
Dinner Auction Rescheduled to Saturday March 18, 2023

 

We are very thankful to the 36 mainly local visual artists who have contributed to make this fundraising exhibition possible. The assignment was to create, especially for this cause - cancer awareness - a work of art in which (an element of) a rose is incorporated. The exhibition Art for the Roses resulted in a colorful stroll through all kinds of emotions, very diverse, and consists of paintings, drawings, collages, photography, mixed media art and sculptures.

Silent Art Auction Prolonged
During the last four weeks many people participated in the Silent Auction which started on October 22 with a minimum bid of Nafl 500 on each artwork. Though the exhibition closes next week and the formal dinner auction is now planned for March 18, you can still contribute to this fundraiser.
The bidding book on our grand piano awaits your generous contributions to raise funds for the fight against cancer. The exhibition will be on till November 26. If for whatever reason you cannot make it, please check our digital catalogue, on our website which we will update every Tuesday or click on the link to view it.

We regret any inconvenience these date changes may have caused. More details to follow closer to the date.

Personalities

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Exhibition

 

 

Personalities
by Annemieke Dicke

 

 

Opening Friday September 2

 

Personalities is Annemieke Dicke her first solo exhibition at Landhuis Bloemhof and features a collection of paintings, oil as well as acrylic accompanied by ceramic objects.

Artist
In 1985 Annemieke attended the Academy of Art Constantijn Huygen in Kampen, the Netherlands followed by the Academy of Arts in Enschede, which she finished in 1991. After moving to Curaçao she got her teachers degree at UNA, the University of the Netherlands Antilles, in 2006.

Annemieke Dicke is an established artist with an impressive art career. She is mostly known for her ceramic work. She developed her own style and technique through attending a large variety of courses and classes she followed in The Netherlands, Curaçao, Italy and The United States. Annemieke participated in various exhibitions in Curaçao as well as abroad. Her works are part of many private art collections including the Dutch Royal House.

Personalities
During the second lockdown, Annemieke decided to start painting again. Something she hadn’t done in a long time. During this period, she focused on painting portraits of people while putting emphasis on studying and refining her technique. This challenge she put for herself slowly evolved to the exhibition on display at Landhuis Bloemhof.

Personalities consists of portrait paintings using oil or acrylic paint. One of these portraits is titled ‘Shine’ and is inspired by a theater student that Annemieke met at Pietermaai Art Spaces (PAS), where she teaches art and ceramics classes to youngsters and adults five times a week. 'Shine’ is a wall-covering expression of the model's many colors and energy, it portrays a figure with male characteristics based on elements of Frida Khalo. For Annemieke it is important to get to know the individual better during the portrait painting process. And this student was no exception. “I need that personal connection to paint a portrait”, adds Annemieke.

Resilience
The last few years were tumultuous for the artist. In a short period of time her long-term relationship ended, her father died and she had to give up her house and her precious studio, Artis Magistra 22 where she used to work and teach. In the harsh years that followed she was left without a space to call her home or her studio. Two years ago her luck changed and she now has her own home/studio and the space to create. Annemieke is home again.

‘Personalities’ is Annemieke’s first solo exhibition at Landhuis Bloemhof after this transformation. ‘Personalities’ will be showing till October 8th.

 

TABOO III

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Exhibition

TABOO III
Group Exhibition challenging  us

 

 

Opening Saturday July 23

 

In the past few years, we have experienced a lot of new things happening worldwide. Things we took for granted in our way of life were challenged in many ways. These changes, or shifts, sometimes released long established taboos from being taboo and introduced new taboos where there were none before.

The Covid pandemic alone put many of us at a distance from each other through new personal, moral, hygiene and privacy values in dealing with the (side)effects of this worldwide virus. We have seen the rise of an unprecedented cancellation culture, the introduction of #me too for abuse, the start of the Black Lives Matter movement, massive migrations all over the world, the growing use and abuse of social media platforms, the loss of power in the traditional mainstream media, the polarization in societies and politics and so on. All this happened in just a few years. Who can say what triggered what? Fact is, it’s all happening right now. A lot has changed and probably the end is not nearly in sight.

Taboo III
Intrigued by all the above, Landhuis Bloemhof wanted to publicly reflect on the impact hereof. An open call was sent out to our local artist community and over 30 of them took up the challenge to give us their views on the taboos of 2022.
We are extremely happy that for TABOO lll the following artists submitted their  contribution, be it a painting, a poem, a collage, a photograph, a sculpture...
Proud participants are: Alejandra Cijntje, Anna Lies Bruens, Bea Moedt, Bethyamin van Nieuwenhuizen, Carlos Blaaker, Debby Dunand, Elodie Heloise, Estela de Haseth, Esther Reyerse, Gerlof Bouma, Giovanni Abath, Hans Mader, Kati Qui, Margarita Haakmat, Merly Trappenberg, Mirelva Albertus, Mishenu Cicilia, Mishikeiru (Kenneth Engelhardt), Morgaine Parris, Nayka Capriles, Nifa Ansano, Osleida Bishop, Pito Polo, Ria Houwen, Rochelle Monte, Rose Ann Ignacio, Susan Rudolf, Suzet Rosaria, Sylvia Waterloo, Tittel del Mar and Vesuhely Americaan.

Past TABOO exhibition history
In 2012 we organized the very first TABOO exhibition, Duncan Campbell, then manager at Landhuis Bloemhof, came up with this out of the box idea that led to an exciting and challenging group exhibition.

For TABOO II, which followed in 2015 Duncan felt the time was right to 'do it again', and he curated the second edition. He asked the artists to look at taboos close to home and see if they could put them in a positive light. His approach was ‘What can a taboo do for you?’ Taboos can paralyze people, but they can also be an excellent vehicle for change, voluntarily or otherwise.

That was 2012 and 2015. Just sit still a minute and think about it, where we are now compared to then? For TABOO III, curated by Rainy Marchena, we invited the artists to share and show what they see as the new taboos anno 2022.

 TABOO III events
During the exhibition, Landhuis Bloemhof will organize several events and other activities. We will keep you posted.

 

Tafelberg riba Mesa

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Exhibition

Tafelberg riba Mesa
Paintings & photographs of the Tafelberg

 

 

Opening Saturday June 11

 

Tafelberg riba Mesa showcases a great number of renderings of the Tafelberg through the years. There are paintings and photographs dating as far back as the first half of the 20th century and works of art specifically created for this project. That there is something special about the Tafelberg became very obvious seeing the abundance of reactions we received in the past few weeks. The Tafelberg has been captured by various people, from different angles, at different times of the day and during many years. The exhibition Tafelberg riba Mesa also clearly shows how the Tafelberg has changed and transformed over the years. This part of its history will be very much present in this exhibition.

Community Art Project
A couple of weeks ago we started the search for works of art in which the Tafelberg is portrayed. In a very short period of time, we received many mails, calls and guests spontaneously stopping by telling us about their paintings and photographs. Local and international Tafelberg fanatics reached out to us with stories and tales about their beloved Tafelberg portrayal. Some received it as a gift, others ordered it on commission or inherited it and a few people painted or photographed it themselves. Bloemhof collected all these personal stories and made them part of the exhibition. And as to be expected with this much Tafelberg fondness most works are on loan and only a few will be up for sale.

To extend this exhibition into a dynamic Tafelberg experience, we are collaborating with the Mijnmaatschappij, Rock Climbing Curaçao, Curaçao Yacht Club, Kinderoorden Brakkeput and Urban Sketchers, who are all very enthousiastic to take this community art project to another level. Together we will be organizing various activities such as a lecture, hikes, a bus tour, plein air painting and a photo competition. The schedule will soon be available

 

 

Vivid Delights

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Exhibition


 

Vivid Delights
Batik Art by Michelle Mesker

 

Meet the artist every Thursday and Saturday morning.

 

Vivid Delights consists of a large collection of framed batiks in various sizes. Some are enriched with very subtle embroidery. Each of these unique works of art is the result of the sum of the many experiments and expertise gained over the past decades with the century-old batik craft. Michelle mastered this technique and explored the limits of what was feasible, thereby becoming increasingly detached from the traditional colors and patterns used in batik. Vivid Delights therefore vividly shows Michelle Mesker's Caribbean colorful touch and her craftmanship.

Michelle Mesker (1957) studied architectural design at the Artibus Art Academy in Utrecht, the Netherlands. After her studies she returns to Curaçao. In the nineties she takes a batik course but is not satisfied with the results. Yet totally intrigued, she decides to delve into it and gradually becomes more and more captivated by this form of art.
Michelle refines her technique and plays with colors in her own way. Her designs also move away from the original batik patterns. Curaçao, and her passion for architecture appear in her work in the form of country houses, nature scenes, birds and of course the sea. Spain and Portugal where she lived for a couple of years also inspire. Especially the female saints and patrons.

More challenges
Michelle is always working on refining her technical skills, and challenges herself to create increasingly complex art pieces. More details, more depth, even more color, and larger work.

To make batik the fabric is partially coated with wax. Michelle Mesker does not use regular wax but beeswax. Each color layer is applied separately in this process. Sometimes this is repeated for up to 15 times. The result of this time consuming labor are bright, cheerful, contemporary tableaux made using the ancient technique that came to Europe from Indonesia around 1600.

 

Symbiosis

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Exhibition

Symbiosis
Sculptures and drawings

Brigitte Wawoe and Angel Luis de la Rosa González

 

Opening Saturday March 12

 

Symbiosis – Sculptures and drawings
Brigitte Wawoe and Angel Luis de la Rosa González are both sculptors. Brigitte is known to work with stone from the Tafelberg and Angel generally works with mahogany and wood from the wayaká tree. They met each other back in 2015 during an exhibition at Gallery Alma Blou. Brigitte initially approached Angel to help around her studio with the finishing of her sculptures and to help move heavy stones. Soon their work relationship evolved into an artistic collaboration. They started selecting stones together and exchanged ideas on what they see when looking at the shapes. After three years of closely working together, they felt it was time to show the result of their collaboration in SYMBIOSIS.
Check the digital catalogue here!

According to the dictionary Symbiosis stands for the interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both. For Brigitte and Angel this association also means growth, identification, and connection.

For Angel the experience of working alongside Brigitte made him step out of his comfort zone. As a figurative artist he generally imposes his ideas on primary materials. This time around however he immersed himself into the abstract, playful and fantasy world of Brigitte. During this creative process Angel integrated certain elements into the way he works. He feels that this experience allows him space to reflect on the object he is working on and to freely make adjustments. It is a more organic way of working, of allowing the primary material to reveal itself instead of imposing his ideas on it.

Taking into consideration their individual way of working, their gender, age gap and culture, it was quite an experience for both artists to see how art unites. The frequency with which they exchanged ideas revealed their common passion and pushed their commitment to create art together to a higher level.

Brigitte Wawoe
Brigitte was born in Heidelberg, Germany in 1939 and was trained at the art section of the Morley College in London and at the Vrije Academie in Den Haag. She lived in Curaçao from 1967 and moved to London in 1978. She now lives in The Netherlands but frequently returns to Curaçao to work. She has her sculpture studio at the industrial complex in Nieuwpoort. This hidden gem is tucked away on the east side of the Tafelberg at Fuik Bay. Here the Englishman John Godden started the phosphate mining company in 1875.
Brigitte has exhibited in various cities in the Netherlands and in Europe and has had numerous solo exhibitions and group exhibitions at Landhuis Bloemhof.

Angel Luis de la Rosa González
Angel was born in Santiago de Cuba in 1971. He comes from a family where both men and women were manually skilled. In 1983 Angel joined the Academia de Artes Plásticas José Joaquín Tejada and graduated as a sculpture and drawing teacher. He went on to work at Casa de Cultura in a town called Jiguani Granma. There his interaction with art and handcraft led him to discover how versatile the material of wood can be. In 1994 he returned to Santiago de Cuba and was an independent artist. Short thereafter he became president of Asociasion Cubana De Artesanos Artistas-ACAA. In 2009 he came to Curaçao, with a group of 5 artisans to work on the project of L'ALDEA, nowadays known as AMAZONIA, and stayed ever since.
In Curaçao he had 3 solo exhibitions at Gallery Alma Blou, participated in various group exhibitions and worked on various collaborations with other local artists.