NAT

ASJ

A K

ENSM

IL

FRO

ZEN

QU

EEN

MIC

HA

EL S

TE

VEN

SO

N

11 M

arch

– 17

Apr

il 20

10

NAT

ASJ

A K

ENSM

IL

FRO

ZEN

QU

EEN

Nat

asja

Ken

smil

in c

onve

rsat

ion

with

Mic

hael

Ste

vens

on

Mic

hael

Ste

vens

on: A

par

adox

ical

sta

rt t

o th

is

disc

ussi

on a

bout

you

r pa

inti

ngs

is t

hat,

in m

any

resp

ects

, the

y si

lenc

e m

e. R

athe

r th

an p

rovo

king

the

min

d in

to a

skin

g qu

esti

ons,

the

y qu

ietl

y re

min

d m

e of

real

ms

that

we

cann

ot u

nder

stan

d or

com

preh

end.

In

the

sile

nce

that

the

y co

mm

and,

the

y re

sist

affi

rmin

g

answ

ers

abou

t a

wor

ld w

e kn

ow a

nd r

ecog

nise

.

In y

our

pain

ting

, are

you

con

stan

tly

awar

e of

the

inta

ngib

le in

rel

atio

n to

our

live

s an

d hi

stor

y?

Nat

asja

Ken

smil:

I’m

not

con

stan

tly a

war

e of

the

inta

ngib

le e

arth

ly s

piri

tual

ene

rgie

s. B

ut s

till t

hey

are

hunt

ing

and

shou

ting

thro

ugh

my

head

. The

wor

ld

with

its

chao

s an

d si

lenc

e ha

s m

ore

influ

ence

on

me

than

I w

ould

like

.

figur

es in

my

wor

k be

caus

e I a

m c

onvi

nced

tha

t th

e

pres

ent

is d

eter

min

ed b

y fa

ctor

s th

at e

xten

d de

cade

s

into

the

pas

t an

d ha

ve b

eari

ng o

n th

e pr

esen

t. Th

e pa

st

nour

ishe

s th

e pr

esen

t an

d sh

apes

pre

sent

soc

iety

.

His

tori

cal e

vent

s w

rite

a la

ndsc

ape

of m

eani

ngs.

The

fate

of

a cu

lture

can

be

mad

e up

fro

m t

he h

isto

ry o

f

the

spac

e in

whi

ch it

live

s an

d on

whi

ch it

look

s ou

t.

Con

stru

ctio

n an

d de

stru

ctio

n ar

e fir

mly

roo

ted

in n

atur

e

and

man

kind

; the

y ar

e th

e m

ater

ials

of

evol

utio

n. I

see

this

mov

emen

t of

evo

lutio

n as

an

esse

ntia

l pro

cess

in

the

urge

for

rene

wal

and

cha

nge.

His

tory

con

sist

s of

man

y la

yers

, whi

ch I

try

to m

ake

tran

spar

ent

in m

y w

ork.

In t

his

way

I ex

amin

e th

e

rela

tions

hip

betw

een

the

pres

ent

and

the

past

. Thi

s

mov

emen

t is

incr

easi

ngly

inde

pend

ent

of t

ime.

Eart

hly

and

unea

rthl

y po

wer

s

3

My

stud

io is

ful

l of

imag

es h

angi

ng o

n th

e w

all,

lyin

g

on t

he t

able

and

floo

r. I s

ee it

as

a re

fuge

in w

hich

I wor

k al

one,

in s

eclu

sion

. The

re I

can

see

vari

ous

rela

tions

hips

bet

wee

n pi

ctur

es a

nd lo

ok a

t im

ages

for

my

thou

ghts

to

deve

lop

and

chan

ge. F

rom

the

arc

hive

of o

ld im

ages

, pho

togr

aphs

, pos

tcar

ds a

nd n

ewsp

aper

s

I hav

e co

llect

ed, I

sel

ect

som

e im

ages

tha

t ar

e re

late

d.

I am

con

vinc

ed t

hat

ther

e is

som

ethi

ng h

idde

n in

the

se

pict

ures

.

Wha

t do

you

thi

nk t

his

mig

ht b

e?

My

imag

ery

of fe

ar a

nd o

f an

xiou

snes

s is

der

ived

from

his

tory

, rel

igio

n an

d m

ytho

logy

but

als

o fr

om t

he

extr

emis

m o

f ou

r tim

e. F

or e

xam

ple,

in m

y pa

intin

g

Des

pera

te L

and,

fro

m 2

00

4, I

was

intu

itive

ly lo

okin

g at

the

dark

aut

hori

ty o

f re

ligio

n an

d th

e w

ay t

hat

peop

le

rela

te t

o re

ligio

n an

d m

ystic

ism

. I w

as p

layi

ng w

ith t

he

idea

tha

t G

od is

a h

uman

fabr

icat

ion

to p

reve

nt h

im

from

bur

stin

g in

to b

east

lines

s.

With

thi

s th

ough

t, I i

nclu

ded

in t

he p

aint

ing

a po

rtra

it

of R

aspu

tin –

a r

elig

ious

man

iac

who

was

sur

roun

ded

by

cred

ulou

s pe

ople

. I w

ante

d to

evo

ke a

rom

antic

imag

e,

the

attr

actio

n of

a fi

gure

tha

t ho

lds

a gr

oup

of fo

llow

ers

spel

lbou

nd a

nd g

ives

the

m s

hape

as

a gr

oup.

But

I al

so

sear

ched

for

the

aest

hetic

ism

of

the

horr

or, t

he h

orro

r

of t

he h

oly

war

and

eve

rlas

ting

raci

sm. I

n th

is p

aint

ing

the

figur

e of

Ras

putin

cou

ld a

lso

be s

een

in r

elat

ion

to

the

brot

herh

oods

of

the

Sant

ísim

o C

rist

o de

l Sal

vado

r

in S

pani

sh V

alen

cia,

Goy

a’s

The

Pro

cess

ion,

the

Ku

Klu

x

Kla

nsm

en o

f P

hilip

Gus

ton,

or

Abu

Ghr

aib.

Hop

e, fe

ar, p

ain

and

the

crav

ing

for

pow

er, v

iole

nce,

crea

tion

and

dest

ruct

ion

are

inex

tric

ably

ent

win

ed,

whi

ch fa

scin

ates

me.

Do

you

see

your

pai

ntin

gs a

s co

llaps

ing

the

cons

truc

ts o

f lif

e an

d ti

me

that

are

fun

dam

enta

l to

exis

tenc

e as

we

know

it?

Yes,

you

cou

ld s

ee it

like

thi

s. I

use

hist

ory

or h

isto

rica

l

figur

es in

my

wor

k be

caus

e I a

m c

onvi

nced

tha

t th

e

pres

ent

is d

eter

min

ed b

y fa

ctor

s th

at e

xten

d de

cade

s

into

the

pas

t an

d ha

ve b

eari

ng o

n th

e pr

esen

t. Th

e pa

st

nour

ishe

s th

e pr

esen

t an

d sh

apes

pre

sent

soc

iety

.

His

tori

cal e

vent

s w

rite

a la

ndsc

ape

of m

eani

ngs.

The

fate

of

a cu

lture

can

be

mad

e up

fro

m t

he h

isto

ry o

f

the

spac

e in

whi

ch it

live

s an

d on

whi

ch it

look

s ou

t.

Con

stru

ctio

n an

d de

stru

ctio

n ar

e fir

mly

roo

ted

in n

atur

e

and

man

kind

; the

y ar

e th

e m

ater

ials

of

evol

utio

n. I

see

this

mov

emen

t of

evo

lutio

n as

an

esse

ntia

l pro

cess

in

the

urge

for

rene

wal

and

cha

nge.

His

tory

con

sist

s of

man

y la

yers

, whi

ch I

try

to m

ake

tran

spar

ent

in m

y w

ork.

In t

his

way

I ex

amin

e th

e

rela

tions

hip

betw

een

the

pres

ent

and

the

past

. Thi

s

mov

emen

t is

incr

easi

ngly

inde

pend

ent

of t

ime.

In t

his

new

ser

ies

of f

our

pain

ting

s re

flec

ting

on

Que

en E

lizab

eth

I, yo

ur in

tere

st in

the

eth

erea

l find

s

corr

espo

nden

ce in

her

fra

ught

rel

atio

nshi

p w

ith

spir

its

and

ance

stor

s. W

as t

his

narr

ativ

e in

you

r m

ind

whe

n yo

u w

ere

pain

ting

the

wor

ks?

Eliz

abet

h I w

as o

ne o

f th

e gr

eate

st q

ueen

figu

res.

I

am n

ot o

nly

fasc

inat

ed b

y he

r ap

pear

ance

as

a gr

eat

pow

er b

ut a

lso

by t

he w

ay s

he h

eld

on t

o th

is p

ower

.

Alth

ough

she

was

reg

arde

d as

a lo

ving

que

en, e

spec

ially

in E

ngla

nd, t

here

was

a d

ark

side

to

her

reig

n to

o. In

the

time

that

she

rul

ed E

ngla

nd, w

itchc

raft

and

witc

h

hunt

s oc

curr

ed. E

lizab

eth’

s m

othe

r, A

nne

Bol

eyn,

was

accu

sed

of b

eing

a w

itch

and

sent

ence

d to

dea

th, y

et

Eliz

abet

h I g

rant

ed p

erm

issi

on fo

r th

e ki

lling

of

witc

hes

and

man

y in

noce

nt p

eopl

e. S

he w

as p

roba

bly

conc

erne

d

abou

t be

ing

accu

sed

of b

eing

a w

itch

hers

elf

– sh

e co

uld

have

inhe

rite

d he

r m

othe

r’s w

itchc

raft

. Ano

ther

str

ong

conc

ern

of h

ers

was

the

sup

pres

sion

of

the

Cat

holic

Chu

rch.

The

se d

iffer

ent

fact

ors

inst

illed

in h

er a

fear

of

losi

ng t

he t

hron

e an

d ev

en h

er li

fe, a

nd fo

rced

her

to

be

a se

vere

and

mer

cile

ss s

over

eign

.

Your

por

trai

ts o

f Q

ueen

Eliz

abet

h I e

ffec

tive

ly s

erve

as p

osth

umou

s co

unte

rpoi

nts

to t

he o

ffici

al p

ortr

aits

com

mis

sion

ed w

hile

she

was

aliv

e. W

here

as t

he

trad

itio

nal i

mag

es c

eleb

rate

pow

er a

nd p

ompo

sity

,

your

s ex

pose

the

ang

uish

ed in

ner

life

and

trag

edy

of

thei

r su

bjec

t. A

re y

ou s

eein

g th

roug

h th

e gr

andi

ose

illus

ion

and

layi

ng b

are

the

gore

of

hist

oric

al g

lory

?

I sta

rted

pai

ntin

g a

seri

es o

f po

stm

orte

m p

ortr

aits

of in

fant

s. W

hile

pai

ntin

g th

ese

port

raits

I st

arte

d to

belie

ve t

hat

the

soul

live

s on

in t

he p

ortr

aits

of

the

dead

. The

spi

rits

of

the

child

ren

wan

der;

the

y tr

y to

esca

pe t

heir

faile

d liv

es a

nd t

o fle

e th

eir

lone

lines

s. I

expl

ored

the

rea

lm o

f th

e liv

ing

that

ove

rlap

s w

ith t

hat

of t

he g

host

s, t

he u

nder

wor

ld …

The

n th

e ap

pear

ance

of

Que

en E

lizab

eth

I cam

e to

me.

I st

arte

d to

see

her

sta

te

port

raits

as

post

mor

tem

s.

With

a lo

t of

fear

I le

t m

ysel

f be

car

ried

aw

ay b

y

her

self-

dest

ruct

ive,

tra

umat

ic lo

oks.

In t

he p

ortr

aits

I wan

ted

to r

eflec

t on

the

psy

che

of t

he q

ueen

– f

ull

of lo

ve, p

ride

and

glo

ry, b

ut a

lso

full

of t

erro

r, di

sgus

t,

inco

mpr

ehen

sion

, los

s an

d vi

olen

ce. T

he q

ueen

enca

psul

ates

a t

rage

dy.

Your

pai

ntin

g st

yle

and

subj

ect

mat

ter

are

uneq

uivo

cally

ric

h in

ref

eren

ces

to E

urop

ean

pain

ting

but

your

imag

ery

has

a di

stin

ct a

nd d

iffe

rent

sens

ibili

ty t

hat

sets

it a

part

fro

m t

his

trad

itio

n.

Cou

ld t

his

diff

eren

ce b

e re

late

d to

you

r S

urin

ames

e

ance

stry

? Yo

ur p

aren

ts m

oved

fro

m S

urin

ame

to

the

Net

herl

ands

in t

he 1

970

s, a

nd y

ou h

ave

retu

rned

ther

e a

num

ber

of t

imes

.

Yes,

my

Suri

nam

ese

back

grou

nd p

lays

a r

ole.

In t

he

dom

ain

of m

y an

cest

ors,

nat

ure

is in

habi

ted

by d

ark

and

light

cre

atur

es. I

nani

mat

e ob

ject

s ar

e co

nsid

ered

to b

e liv

ing

and

to h

ave

a so

ul ju

st li

ke p

eopl

e, a

nim

als

and

inse

cts.

The

bel

ief

in s

piri

ts a

nd d

emon

s is

alm

ost

univ

ersa

l. Th

ey e

voke

a h

allu

cina

tory

wor

ld, b

orn

of

subt

erra

nean

tho

ught

s, m

an’s

dee

ply

root

ed fe

ar o

f

dark

ness

and

of

unkn

own

natu

re. T

he b

elie

f in

witc

hery

has

alw

ays

been

kep

t al

ive

by m

y an

cest

ors,

and

my

pare

nts,

in t

heir

acc

epta

nce

of d

ark

and

evil

spir

its.

In r

ecen

t ye

ars,

you

r pa

inti

ngs

have

bec

ome

incr

easi

ngly

mon

ochr

omat

ic. I

s th

is b

ecau

se y

ou

sens

e th

at c

olou

r is

inap

prop

riat

e fo

r gi

ving

for

m t

o

the

suff

erin

g, t

orm

ent

and

viol

ence

of

pow

er t

hat

the

pain

ting

s ill

umin

ate?

(A

s an

asi

de, t

his

is t

he

expl

anat

ion

that

the

pho

togr

aphe

r D

avid

Gol

dbla

tt

offe

red

for

his

focu

s on

bla

ck-a

nd-w

hite

pho

togr

aphy

in t

he a

part

heid

era

.)

In fa

ct, i

n m

y w

ork

the

flesh

col

our

is m

ade

up o

f lig

ht

blue

gra

y, g

ray,

yel

low

, lig

ht o

chre

, gra

y re

d br

own,

ligh

t

pink

. The

se c

olou

rs a

re c

onst

antly

mix

ed. I

n th

e re

cent

pain

tings

the

ver

y lig

ht a

nd v

ery

dark

col

ours

cat

ch t

he

inte

grit

y of

the

imag

e be

com

es c

lear

to

you?

It c

hang

es c

onst

antly

… I

neve

r kn

ow w

here

it w

ill e

nd.

I wor

k ve

ry m

uch

from

my

intu

ition

and

fro

m a

tra

in o

f

thou

ghts

. It

is a

com

bina

tion

of fe

elin

g an

d th

inki

ng. T

he

finis

hed

wor

k m

ust

shoc

k an

d su

rpri

se m

e. O

nly

whe

n it

is fi

nish

ed d

o I s

ee t

he m

eani

ng o

f it.

In t

he e

nd, i

t is

an

idea

I ha

d th

at I

coul

d no

t ar

ticul

ate

at fi

rst.

Whi

le w

orki

ng, I

sen

se w

hat

the

pain

ting

is

abou

t, I t

hink

abo

ut it

; how

ever

, I d

on’t

ever

hav

e a

full

unde

rsta

ndin

g of

it.

The

rel

atio

nshi

p be

twee

n dr

awin

g an

d pa

inti

ng

is c

onst

antl

y sh

ifti

ng in

you

r w

ork.

Init

ially

, the

draw

ings

ser

ved

as s

ketc

hes

for

the

conc

epti

on o

f

a pa

inti

ng, w

here

as n

ow t

hey

man

ifes

t as

tho

ught

s

in t

heir

ow

n re

alm

. Yet

, whi

le t

he d

irec

t re

lati

onsh

ip

betw

een

spec

ific

draw

ings

and

pai

ntin

gs d

imin

ishe

s,

the

pain

ting

s be

com

e m

ore

like

draw

ings

in t

heir

skel

etal

for

ms,

and

vic

e ve

rsa.

In m

y ol

der

wor

k th

e su

rfac

e of

the

pai

ntin

gs w

as

very

thi

ck. B

ut I

bega

n to

yea

rn fo

r m

ore

tran

spar

ent

imag

es. I

n m

y re

cent

wor

k I w

ante

d to

tra

nsfo

rm t

he

whi

msi

calit

y of

my

draw

ings

into

my

pain

tings

.

I’m n

ot e

asily

sat

isfie

d w

ith a

n im

age.

In t

he e

nd, i

t

mus

t co

mpr

ise

laye

rs o

f ac

cum

ulat

ed im

ages

, add

ed

toge

ther

to

crea

te a

new

imag

e. B

y re

peat

edly

pai

ntin

g

or d

raw

ing

away

the

imag

e, t

race

s ar

e le

ft t

hrou

gh

whi

ch a

dia

logu

e w

ith t

he n

ew im

age

aris

es. I

t is

a

proc

ess

of r

e-di

gest

ing

mat

eria

l and

idea

s. A

ll em

otio

nal

area

s m

ust

be d

ilute

d by

col

d an

alys

is. T

here

fore

the

pain

tings

bec

ome

a so

rt o

f sy

mbo

lic s

trug

gle.

The

mot

ionl

ess

imag

e m

ust

cont

inua

lly m

ove

in f

ront

of

the

eye

and

in t

he h

ead.

In t

he c

ompo

siti

on o

f yo

ur p

aint

ings

, am

I co

rrec

t in

thin

king

tha

t yo

u in

tegr

ate

sym

bolic

ele

men

ts in

a

man

ner

that

res

ists

for

mal

ana

lysi

s of

the

ir in

divi

dual

mea

ning

s?

5

inte

grit

y of

the

imag

e be

com

es c

lear

to

you?

It c

hang

es c

onst

antly

… I

neve

r kn

ow w

here

it w

ill e

nd.

I wor

k ve

ry m

uch

from

my

intu

ition

and

fro

m a

tra

in o

f

thou

ghts

. It

is a

com

bina

tion

of fe

elin

g an

d th

inki

ng. T

he

finis

hed

wor

k m

ust

shoc

k an

d su

rpri

se m

e. O

nly

whe

n it

is fi

nish

ed d

o I s

ee t

he m

eani

ng o

f it.

In t

he e

nd, i

t is

an

idea

I ha

d th

at I

coul

d no

t ar

ticul

ate

at fi

rst.

Whi

le w

orki

ng, I

sen

se w

hat

the

pain

ting

is

abou

t, I t

hink

abo

ut it

; how

ever

, I d

on’t

ever

hav

e a

full

unde

rsta

ndin

g of

it.

The

rel

atio

nshi

p be

twee

n dr

awin

g an

d pa

inti

ng

is c

onst

antl

y sh

ifti

ng in

you

r w

ork.

Init

ially

, the

draw

ings

ser

ved

as s

ketc

hes

for

the

conc

epti

on o

f

a pa

inti

ng, w

here

as n

ow t

hey

man

ifes

t as

tho

ught

s

in t

heir

ow

n re

alm

. Yet

, whi

le t

he d

irec

t re

lati

onsh

ip

betw

een

spec

ific

draw

ings

and

pai

ntin

gs d

imin

ishe

s,

the

pain

ting

s be

com

e m

ore

like

draw

ings

in t

heir

skel

etal

for

ms,

and

vic

e ve

rsa.

In m

y ol

der

wor

k th

e su

rfac

e of

the

pai

ntin

gs w

as

very

thi

ck. B

ut I

bega

n to

yea

rn fo

r m

ore

tran

spar

ent

imag

es. I

n m

y re

cent

wor

k I w

ante

d to

tra

nsfo

rm t

he

whi

msi

calit

y of

my

draw

ings

into

my

pain

tings

.

I’m n

ot e

asily

sat

isfie

d w

ith a

n im

age.

In t

he e

nd, i

t

mus

t co

mpr

ise

laye

rs o

f ac

cum

ulat

ed im

ages

, add

ed

toge

ther

to

crea

te a

new

imag

e. B

y re

peat

edly

pai

ntin

g

or d

raw

ing

away

the

imag

e, t

race

s ar

e le

ft t

hrou

gh

whi

ch a

dia

logu

e w

ith t

he n

ew im

age

aris

es. I

t is

a

proc

ess

of r

e-di

gest

ing

mat

eria

l and

idea

s. A

ll em

otio

nal

area

s m

ust

be d

ilute

d by

col

d an

alys

is. T

here

fore

the

pain

tings

bec

ome

a so

rt o

f sy

mbo

lic s

trug

gle.

The

mot

ionl

ess

imag

e m

ust

cont

inua

lly m

ove

in f

ront

of

the

eye

and

in t

he h

ead.

In t

he c

ompo

siti

on o

f yo

ur p

aint

ings

, am

I co

rrec

t in

thin

king

tha

t yo

u in

tegr

ate

sym

bolic

ele

men

ts in

a

man

ner

that

res

ists

for

mal

ana

lysi

s of

the

ir in

divi

dual

mea

ning

s?

eye

at fi

rst

and

grad

ually

the

oth

er c

olou

rs h

idde

n in

and

unde

r th

e sk

in u

nfol

d.

The

figur

es I

pain

t in

oil

exis

t in

an

area

bet

wee

n th

e

eart

hly

and

the

spir

itual

. The

y ar

e m

ade

up o

f m

any

laye

rs –

of

colo

ur –

just

like

his

tory

. I t

ry t

o av

oid

the

trad

ition

al fl

esh

colo

urs

beca

use

they

impl

y pr

ejud

ice.

I wan

t to

vis

ualis

e un

iver

sal c

hara

cter

s.

You

have

sai

d th

at a

pai

ntin

g m

ust

be a

ble

to s

tand

alon

e in

its

inte

rnal

con

vers

atio

ns t

o en

sure

tha

t it

has

a re

ason

for

exi

sten

ce. H

ow d

o yo

u re

ach

this

sud

den

mom

ent

in t

he p

roce

ss o

f re

alis

ing

a pa

inti

ng w

hen

the

Sym

bolis

m a

nd ic

onic

imag

es fa

scin

ate

me

– es

peci

ally

the

pow

er o

f an

imag

e an

d th

e po

ssib

ility

of

laye

ring

an

imag

e w

ith d

iffer

ent

mea

ning

s. Im

ages

com

e to

me

and

mak

e m

e re

stle

ss, a

nd I

have

to

find

my

own

lang

uage

of im

ages

with

in t

hese

icon

s to

con

trol

my

tem

per.

Each

pai

ntin

g m

ust

be a

nim

ated

. I fe

el t

hat

I sho

uld

mak

e m

y w

ork

from

an

inne

r ur

ge. M

y w

ork

is p

erso

nal

in t

he s

ense

tha

t I s

elec

t th

e im

ages

tha

t co

me

to m

e.

I wan

t to

exp

lore

and

get

a b

ette

r un

ders

tand

ing

of

my

wor

ld.

I wan

t to

str

engt

hen

the

dual

ity o

f th

e ea

rthl

y an

d th

e

unea

rthl

y.

The

Old

200

9

Oil

on c

anva

s

150

x 15

0cm

7

Hyd

ra

200

9

Oil

on c

anva

s

230

x 2

00

cm

9

11

Eliz

abet

h I

200

9

Oil

on c

anva

s

200

x 2

00

cm

13

15

17Livi

ng A

nces

tors

200

9

Oil

on c

anva

s

260

x 14

0cm

19

Cat

alog

ue n

o 4

9 M

arch

20

10

Fron

t co

ver

imag

e Th

e O

ld, 2

00

9, d

etai

l

Bac

k co

ver

imag

e H

ydra

, 20

09,

det

ail

All

wor

ks c

ourt

esy

of G

aler

ie P

aul A

ndri

esse

, Am

ster

dam

Mic

hael

Ste

vens

on

Buc

hana

n B

uild

ing,

160

Sir

Low

ry R

oad,

Woo

dsto

ck 7

925

Cap

e To

wn,

Sou

th A

fric

a

Tel +

27 (

0)2

1 46

2 15

00

| in

fo@

mic

hael

stev

enso

n.co

m

ww

w.m

icha

elst

even

son.

com

Edi

tor

Soph

ie P

erry

er |

Des

ign

Gab

riel

le G

uy

Pho

togr

aphy

and

imag

e re

pro

Mar

io T

odes

chin

i

Pri

ntin

g H

ansa

Pri

nt, C

ape

Tow

n

Nat

asja

Ken

smil

was

bor

n in

1973

in A

mst

erda

m a

nd

cont

inue

s to

live

and

wor

k th

ere.

She

stu

died

at

the

Ger

rit

Rie

tvel

d A

cade

mie

, fol

low

ed b

y po

stgr

adua

te s

tudi

es a

t D

e

Ate

liers

. Her

mos

t re

cent

sol

o sh

ows

have

tak

en p

lace

at

Gal

erie

Pau

l And

ries

se, A

mst

erda

m (

200

7 an

d 20

09

), an

d

the

Cob

ra M

useu

m, A

mst

elve

en (

200

3). G

roup

exh

ibiti

ons

incl

ude

Stre

ssed

Spa

ces,

KW

_14

, ‘s-

Her

toge

nbos

ch, t

he

Net

herl

ands

(20

09

); D

isgu

ise:

The

art

of

attr

actin

g an

d

defle

ctin

g at

tent

ion,

Mic

hael

Ste

vens

on, C

ape

Tow

n (2

00

8);

Bla

ck is

Bea

utifu

l, N

ieuw

e K

erk,

Am

ster

dam

(20

08

);

Into

Dra

win

g, S

chlo

ss M

oyla

nd, G

erm

any,

and

Inst

itut

Née

rlan

dais

, Par

is (

200

8/2

00

6);

Sist

er S

ledg

e, L

AC

– L

ieu

d’A

rt C

onte

mpo

rain

, Sig

ean,

Fra

nce

(20

07)

; Inn

ocen

t

of A

ggre

ssio

n, N

atio

nal G

alle

ry, M

aced

onia

(20

07)

; and

Con

tem

pora

ry A

rtis

ts f

rom

the

Net

herl

ands

, Uni

vers

ity

of O

rego

n an

d D

artm

outh

Col

lege

, New

Ham

pshi

re, U

SA

(20

06

/20

05

). Sh

e w

on t

he P

hilip

Mor

ris

art

priz

e in

20

03.

Bio

grap

hy

MIC

HA

EL ST

EV

ENS

ON