28 may 2024, Flor Linckens
The archaeology of the future: Marjolijn de Wit at Galerie Gerhard Hofland
Until 29 June, Galerie Gerhard Hofland in Amsterdam presents two solo exhibitions: one by Horst Ademeit and one by Marjolijn de Wit. In her work, the Dutch artist Marjolijn de Wit explores themes such as future archaeology, varying interpretations of history, and the complex and triangular relationship between human beings, nature and consumerism. Her multidisciplinary practice includes ceramics, photography, paintings and installations.
De Wit frequently incorporates landscapes and details of nature into her works: from forests and expansive mountain ranges to butterflies, plants, flowers and fruit. She combines these natural elements in a collage-like manner with abstract forms and man-made objects: glasses of whiskey, a pill (a symbol of the pharmaceutical industry), a champagne tower, brightly painted lips from an advertisement, stars from a flag, cut diamonds, or plates of lobster as they are served in a restaurant. These elements symbolise the ways we disrupt and control nature and they represent the traces we leave behind — the archaeology of the future. The artist speculates on how future generations will interpret the changes we, intentionally and unintentionally, make to the landscape.
De Wit's works do not reveal themselves immediately to the viewer; they invite a longer and more intentional look. She begins her oil paintings with a sketch and an abstracted background on the canvas, and then proceeds in a more intuitive way. Her practice involves experimenting with various techniques, materials, scales and compositions, often working on a large scale. Her content is often inspired by advertisements, news articles, and old National Geographic magazines from the 1970s and 1980s. She is particularly fascinated by the growing contrasts and conflicting interests between the advertisements (from airline companies for instance) and the editorial content of the magazine. Additionally, she is intrigued by the fact that the topics discussed back then, such as climate change and changing landscapes, are largely the same conversations we are having today.
