Maartje Folkeringa

Maartje Folkeringa’s (wall) sculptures and drawings include polyurethane, polystyrene, cotton wool, fabric, paper, crayons and caseine-paint. Until mid 2010, these were larger than life human figures and themes such as social control, unwritten rules, manipulation and miscommunication were her starting point. Currently Folkeringa makes work that is more and less recognizable. Her new ingredients are visual signs of which people derive their identity by. Examples of sources of inspiration are insignia, signet rings, diamonds, replica Bling Bling and turbans.

Material, shape, motivation and process are equally important and inextricably linked. Parts of her quest towards material remain visible. Imperfection can be seen next to perfection and meticulously next to sketch.

With special thanks to Fonds voor de beeldende kunsten, vormgeving en bouwkunst.

Maartje Folkeringa (1978, St. Anthonis) graduated Cum Laude in 2004 from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy. In 2006 she completed a Master at the Sandberg Institute. Her work is exhibited in various places, like New Dakota, De Service Garage, Beeld Hal Werk, the Ministry of Education and W139. Until recently, she made more than life-size human figures made of polystyrene, with themes such as social control, unwritten rules, manipulation and miscommunication. In early 2010, while staying in the guest studio of the Instituto Buena Bista in Curaçao, Folkeringa started focusing on the visual aspects of identity.