Artist in conversation: Mariken Heijwegen
“All my work comes from unknown places in my head
After I finished the KABK in The Hague, in the direction of Fashion and Textiles, I became a stylist and ended up as a teacher of arts on an highschool in Rotterdam.
My passion for painting is my way of expressing my feelings. My hands help me transform my thoughts on the canvas.
I often paint on wood because it is a great hard and matte material. “
Make sure to follow Mariken here.
-Could you tell us a little more about your background, and how did you begin creating art?
I was born to create. As a child I already drew and paint and made dresses for Barbie from old socks. I finished art academy, towards fashion, and traveled the world creating clothes for fashion magazines. I made new creations from existing clothing and created crazy looks with it.
I always kept painting during that time. For now I am a teacher of art on a high school for 12 years. I teach the students to reach their own feelings trough art.
The past few months have been difficult and I kept painting so as not to think too much and not to spin in my head. I’ve learned that what I’m painting now really suits me. Weird heads. Just like I have myself.
- What art do you most identify with?
Figurative because I hope that recognising emotions are easy to see by the viewer.
Surreal because my heads are strange and don’t match reality. I hope that the subconscious mind is able to create revealing, suggestive images in the people who see my portraits. This is what I say all the time, but actually I don’t know and I just do what all the people in the world
do.
- Can you describe one artwork or series from your oeuvre that you feel was pivotal in your career?
The entire oeuvre because all paintings were painted in a deep difficult period where I wanted to stay out of my head and paint my head empty. They are not pretty canvases. They are paintings that
tell emotions.
- Which other great artists inspire you and why?
I have an art book, art against death, with drawings and paintings of Jews from concentration camps.
That book grabs me every time. Those emotions are so deep that you can’t explain them. I bought it
at Aushwitz’s shop and it’s the best art book out there.
Modigliani because I also paint long necks. I have a think with long necks.
And Banksy because his bad ass actions were awesome when he secretly hung his work in museums.
His short secret footage when he hang his paintings in museums is pure performance art.
- Can you talk about the process of creating your work?
My process was and is heavy. I fight against myself every day. What is striking is that a clearer picture
is slowly emerging of what I want to say and I also see less and less vague faces. My process tells me not to stop painting because I’m looking for myself and exploring who I am.
- What advice would you give to emerging artists entering the art world?
Look for techniques that suit you and research them. Think about what message you want to send out into the world. Stay loyal to yourself. Remember that you’re work don’t have to be beautiful, just simply have something to say. There are now artists who copy and exhibit Basquiat. That is subject to the time but say nothing about you. Dare to paint outside the lines. Literally!
- What do you hope that the public takes away from your art?
You don’t have to be ashamed of emotions and all state of the mind. Break with taboos and talk about mental illness like it’s a flue that you complain about. Then i did a good job.
- What is your dream project?
An exhibition with work from all artist from the globe with paintings from their deepest dark period of life. The paintings don’t have to be grey and black.
- Finally, are there any projects you are currently working on and able to speak about?
I collect old portraits. Black and white phots from people all over the world. I would like to show that
insanity exist at all times. Madness is the only constant that is not subject to time.
