ERSIN EKEN & NAOMI MITSUKO MAKKELIE exhibition

Work by Ersin Eken that pauses for a show to contemplate the transience and mutability of life. For the creator, awareness of the temporariness of things is central. The sculptures of the creator reveal moments of transition. In exposing these processes (of changes), spectators are released to come to their own interpretations, thus forming their own experiences with the artworks.

Feelings of melancholy, nostalgia, and an overwhelming sense of silence fill the atmosphere. The hardness of the materials contrasts with the softness and fragility of the organic elements. It is the silence after the storm that consists of the sculptures of a cosmos that was, as well as the potential of what is not yet. The connection to the feeling of transition is tangible, yet elusive. In the paintings of the creator, remnants of memories lurk that the viewer can no longer access.

The original memories the creator had in mind have given way to a space where everyone can find their own memories. In the silence of transience, spaces filled with vulnerable beauty, appreciation, and longing have emerged.

Naomi Mitsuko Makkelie (1992) explores the meaning, ethics, and value of immortality in her paintings. She presents a personal perspective on this topic, while also acknowledging that she is only a small part of a larger universe. By investigating the ways in which the future, present, and past intersect and influence each other on a historical, scientific, and cultural level, Makkelie’s work delves into the interpretation of culture. It is difficult to view artwork without a biased interpretation, but Makkelie embraces this challenge and plays with the perception of her work, which is often influenced by her Japanese background. Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Makkelie has been creating paintings and drawings inspired by traditional Japanese woodblock prints (Ukiyo-e) and has been making autobiographical works about what it is like to live in this era. Makkelie believes it is important for art and literature to document the past years, so that people in the future can understand what it was like to live during this time. This creates a different picture than the one presented by the media, which may be influenced by propaganda. What fascinates Makkelie about history is how much of it is unsubstantiated and based on fantasy and fairy tales. This makes her ponder the potential for art to contribute to the pollution of historical information. Makkelie believes that art should offer different personal truths to coexist and that it should critically engage with media and society. She feels that art has recently been lagging behind society more than it is innovating and that this should change. Naomi was born in Amsterdam and graduated Cum Laude at HKU in Utrecht. After graduation she did a master at Frank Mohr in Groningen. She also studied psychology at the University of Amsterdam. In 2018 she won the Buning Brongers Prize after graduating and was nominated for the Royal Prize of Painting. Her work has been exhibited at W138, The Royal Palace of Amsterdam, Art Rotterdam, Arti et Amicitiae, Paviljoen Welgelegen, Museum IJsselstein, Nieuw Dakota and Arwe Gallery.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

EM Studio Gallery, Witte de Withstraat 4, Amsterdam, Netherlands