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What is waste? Is it an inherent trait of a material's existence, or a mere label put on objects impaired by a culture of use and throw? The definitions associated with waste are evolving, as more and more people pose fundamental questions of such nature. As discourses surrounding sustainability resound, rising social awareness has brought the responsible use of materials within the art and design circuit to the forefront. Exploring and experimenting with the reuse of materials, apart from being an environmental expedition, has become a new language of expression for many—one that inspires the exhibition Guiding the Future. No Waste at the Rademakers Gallery in Amsterdam.
Based in the Netherlands, the Rademakers Gallery has been committed to sustainability since its inception. Furthering their efforts in the same reign, the contemporary art gallery is set to unveil their show Guiding the Future. No Waste from September 7 - November 25, 2023. The participating artists and designers will delve into the reuse of materials, thinking about reducing waste, and how nature and humans can work in unison. Featuring an array of creatives including Jule Cats, Sebiha Demir, Mae Engelgeer, Esther Hoogendijk, Sangmin Oh, Simone Post, Joana Schneider, Leonie Schneider, Janne Schipper and Milah van Zuilen, the art exhibition also invites three guest artists Nanette de Kool, Shahar Livre, Alan Nguyen. “Some artists depict awareness and behavioural change in brushstrokes or with luminous textiles, while others show us the beauty and value of what we classify as waste,” reads the art gallery’s official press release.
Founded in 2007, the Rademakers Gallery has presented artworks by renowned as well as emerging artists creating at the crossroads of art, design, fashion, and jewellery. The ethos of the institution rests on two pillars. The first is to strengthen the voices and positioning of women artists, a group they mainly represent. Their second pillar is of sustainability—a tenet rooted deeply in their artists’ practices.
Textile designer Mae Engelgeer is known for her captivating tapestries and rug designs that employ thoughtful use of colour, gradients, compositions, and patterns. Her new designs, created in a more intuitive way, arise from researching colours and residual materials in her studio. Simone Post is renowned for her expressive utilisation of colour and progressive designs, wherein she frequently dabbles with materials that are deemed waste, succinctly revealing their hidden potential and creating a new aesthetic. The Rotterdam-based creative renders the fabrics a distinct look, by folding rolled-up strips of textile into rugs with remarkable colour combinations creating new patterns.
Known for her sustainable art, Esther Hoogendijk’s oeuvre is based on her research into what happens when an artwork is allowed to break down or change. She achieves this by creating small objects and large, land-art-like sculptures from recycled products such as concrete or plaster. "If we were more open to transience and change, we would let go and surrender more, we would be less afraid that something will soon no longer be there," the artist says.
Hailing from Germany and based in the Netherlands, Joana Schneider brings her tactile sculptures and spacious installations that unearth a sustainable contact with organic materials, all while putting the spotlight on local craftsmanship practises. The textile artist playfully explores materials such as discarded ropes and tactile viscose threads made from recycled plastic bottles.
Furthering a knack for crafts, textile techniques, colour and architectural forms, 'Knitted Light' by Korean artist and designer Sangmin Oh seeks to make the viewer reflect on the looming climate change shift while shedding light on the beauty of nature. Visual artist Coen Derickx also takes cues from the forces of nature. The organic shapes and colours of his works are a translation of the force of water in tandem with air and gravity. Another visual artist who will partake in the show is Milah van Zuilen who assays the disciplines of art and ecology together.
As a child, artist Jhonie van Boeijen was surrounded by packages and price tags in her parents’ toy store. That is where her fascination with the hypnotising colours and designs of products began. Through her art, she engages in conversations about individuality and identity through consumerism. Jule Cats, on the other hand, chooses re-valued waste materials such as recycled rubble and second-hand mirrors as her medium of expression, bringing forth the emotional value of objects that go unnoticed. Unconventional materials are characteristic of Sebiha Demir’s creations as well. The sculptor, using objects such as bullet shells, presents the increasing threat of human behaviour on animals and the relationship between both. Installations, sculptures, poetry, photographs, drawings, textile works, and performances constitute Janne Schipper’s practice, where she employs materials such as wood, plaster, clay and stone, to allow a juxtaposition of intricate details and the monumental.
The diverse repository adorning the exhibition space will be completed by three guest artists: Dutch designer Nanette de Kool enjoys working with circular 3D knits, and remains such as leftover textiles and yarns including production flaws. Her textile art comprises wall-hangings, suspended screens, room dividers and made-to-measure pieces. Alan Nguyen is a multidimensional artist and designer specialising in 3D printing and 3D design. Nguyen explores concepts and ideas sans boundaries—working in multiple dimensions, scales and perspectives within the digital space of 3D programs to create sculpture, jewellery, digital art and macro photography. Lastly, Shahar Livre, the award-winning conceptual material designer, breathes life into unique stories through objects and immersive installations revolving around materials as carriers of narratives.
Sustainability, environmental consciousness, material and waste—none of these terms abides by one unanimous definition. It involves cultivated perceptions, perspectives, and methodologies that remain unique to every person, a cumulation of their personal, cultural, and social experiences. This singularity, and the subsequent diversity of thought, is the protagonist in the show. Within this 'green movement,’ which the designers and artists highlight in different ways, the Rademakers Gallery reflects on the next steps—a future in which they aspire for more circularity within the art world.
‘Guiding the Future. No Waste’ will be on view from September 7 - November 25, 2023, at the Rademakers Gallery in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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