May 15, 2009

In Holland Stands A House*


This year I started to learn silk screen printing. With this technique you build up an image or pattern layer for layer. It was a very popular technique for printing patterns on fabrics and wall paper and is therefor a very inspiring technique to learn.
I wanted to learn it for many years, but was out of luck on the Art Academy. In Breda we have this great graphic Center called 'RAAF'. With my grant I'm able to go there weekly to really experiment with it and the people working there and running the place are wonderful!

My first serie of prints are being exhibited from 17 May till 1 July at de Kunstpraktijk in Veldhoven (NL). This print is made out of 3 layers, a background with watercolour and two silk screen layers. The print is a combination of patterns inspired by Delftware and Batik. 

When I was little I thought every household would have a house filled with things from the Netherlands and Indonesia, like our house. It felt very logical to me, my family had no direct link to Indonesia, the things in our house where souvenirs from the many travels my grandparents made, but I thought with our shared history everyone would have a link with Indonesia.

The print shows terraced houses, which I think is very Dutch. The houses are filled with flowers and birds from Batiks. The terraced houses are surrounded with patterns from Delftware, like the very popular and well-known 'Boerenbont' **("Boer" means farmer and "bont" refers to a mixture of colors).
In Holland stands a house, at least how I imagine them to be.



* Dutch children song "In Holland staat een huis"
** Newer related blogpost "What kind of Boerenbont are you?"

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