ARTIST STATEMENT

Dutch-born Esther Nienhuis regards the desire to be elsewhere as the essential characteristic of her work. Her paintings pivot on the moment at which Fernweh (desire for unknown) and Heimweh (desire for known) become inseparable. She seeks to expose the symbolic thresholds that distinguish the here and now from alternative realities and times - past, future and imaginary.

Her fascination with these boundaries manifests itself through a variety of motifs. In her Saudade series, Nienhuis dwells upon perspective through rain-covered or sun lit windscreens, the otherwise imperceptible glass frontier coming into focus through the textures she creates on the canvas’ surface. Her choice of oil on linen lends her work the qualities of a photograph, revealing a painter informed by experiments with the camera. And yet, what lies beyond the windscreen remains abstracted. In this light, there is no better title for the series - with Saudade lacking a direct English translation, it is evasive. It represents the emotional rather than the concrete, the nostalgic longing for a terminal absence.

BIOGRAPHY

CURRICULUM VITAE

Date of birth: 17-02-1977

Place of birth: De Bilt, The Netherlands

Website: www.esthernienhuis.com

Adress: 3031BB Rotterdam, The Netherlands

E-mail: nienhuisesther@yahoo.it

Telephone: +31 (0)633032006

EXHIBITIONS

Solo exhibitions

Forthcoming

Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, New York (USA), August 2015

Past

Saudade, Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London (UK), September 2014

Elsewhere, Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, New York City (USA), April 2013

Beyond, Project 2.0, The Hague (NL), December 2012

Into The Void, Kers Gallery, Amsterdam (NL), Sept 2012

Away, Barbara Frigerio Contemporary Art, Milan (I), Oct 2011

Autobahn, Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, London (UK), March 2011

Saudade, Galerie Project 2.0, The Hague (NL), March 2010

Selected duo- and groupexhibitions

ZomerExpo 2013, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag (NL), June–Sept 2013

ZomerExpo 2012, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag (NL) June –August 2012

ArtOlive Jong Talent XXL, Amsterdam (NL), Oct 2010

On The Road, Centrum Beeldende Kunst Rotterdam (NL), May 2010

Ongekend @ Art Rotterdam (NL), Feb 2010

Jong Talent, Circle Gallery, Amsterdam (NL), Nov 2009

Art Olive Jong Talent, Amsterdam (NL), Oct 2009

Young Masters @ Auction, Amsterdam (NL), Sept 2009

Graduationshow Royal Academy of Fine Arts, The Hague (NL), June 2009

Selected Artfairs

2015

Art Central Hong Kong (Hong Kong)

Affordable Art Fair Singapore (Singapore)

Art Stage Singapore (Singapore)

2014

Art Toronto, Toronto (Canada)

Art Hamptons, Southampton NY (USA)

Art Melbourne (AUS)

2013

STRARTA Art Fair 2013, Saatchi Gallery, London (UK)

Art Toronto, Toronto (Canada)

Affordable Art Fair Seattle (USA)

Aspen International Artfair, Aspen - Colorado (USA)

Art Hamptons, Southampton NY (USA)

2012

Art Melbourne, Melbourne (AUS)

London Art Fair, London (UK)

2011

Affordable Art Fair Singapore (Singapore)

Art Toronto, Toronto (Canada)

Art London, London (UK)

Art Hamptons, Southampton NY (USA)

Los Angeles Art Show, Los Angeles (USA)

London Art Fair, London (UK)

2010

Art Toronto, Toronto (Canada)

Art London, London (UK)

Art Hamptons, Southampton NY (USA)

Art Chicago, Chicago (USA)

Art Melbourne, Melbourne (AUS)

Palm Beach Jewelry Art & Antique Show, Palm Beach, Florida (USA)

Los Angeles Art Show, Los Angeles (USA)

London Art Fair, London (UK)

2009

Art Toronto, Toronto (Canada)

Art London, London (UK)

 

AWARDS & STIPENDIA

* Invest Stipendium, Stroom Den Haag, 2013

* Gasunie Kunstprijs, 2011

* AAF Talent Award, 2009

 

COLLECTIONS

* DELA

* Centrum Beeldende Kunsten Rotterdam (The Netherlands)

* Lievensberg Hospital - Bergen op Zoom (The Netherlands)

HIGHER / SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION

2003 - 2009                                                                                 
Visual Arts, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague - The Netherlands, Graduation in 2009 (BA)                                                                                            

1997 - 2005                                                                                       History - Contemporary History, University of Groningen - The Netherlands,                                                                            Graduation in 2005 (MA)

1995 - 1996                                                                                        Technical Engineering - Architecture, University of Technology Eindhoven, The Netherlands,

Diploma for first year (Propedeuse) in 1996