The work of Carlijn Mens is as simple in strength as it is vast in size. Working with pressed charcoal and roll paper in unlimited length, her work has the power to make us not only re-look, but to also reconsider. Drawing shadow to preserve light, she works with endless freedom on forest floors, warehouse grounds, and interior walls, going as far as her paper, her body, and the light will allow. The resulting images seem alive and illuminated, and indeed render as images. Charcoal, and the media of drawing in general, are media often strongly associated with gesture and line. Carlijn's work instead affects us as an impression, an immediate visual experience, created over time, but experienced as a whole. While shadows are most often rendered as figure, and light as ground, Mens instead creates a reversal of figure/ground, not through reversing them, but through indentifying them oppositely to how we are accustomed. By identifying shadow as ground, she is able to move light into the figurative role. This methodology, in conjunction with her subject matter and content, do something quite contemporary with a rather traditional medium. Any media employed for creative means must be carried forward, bearing meaning relevant to contemporary culture(s). This is the responsibility of artists, and it is through this symbiotic relationship between ideas and vision, and the simple media of charcoal and paper that Mens moves not only her media forward, but also our own self-awareness of the worlds which we inhabit. She preserves our places with the silent strength of the light she fixes.
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Artworks by Carlijn Mens
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Documentary Carlijn Mens
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Opleiding | Education
2005-2009 Dutch Art Institute (DAI), Enschede
Postgraduate Research and Practice in Art - Master of Fine Art
2000-2005 Akademie voor Kunst en Vormgeving / St. Joost, 's Hertogenbosch
Bachelor of Fine Art
Tentoonstellingen & Projecten | Exhibitions & Projects
2018 Art On Paper, Borzo Gallery,stand 26, Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam
Koen Vermeule | Jurriaan Molenaar | Carlijn Mens, Exhibition in L.A.C. Sigean (France)
Roadside | Structuren, BorzoGallery (NL)
2016 Bade/ Mens, MDZ galerie, Knokke (Belgium)
Art Drawing, BorzoGallery, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Museum Belvedere, Friesland (The Netherlands)
Wind en Wolken, kunsthal 45, Den Helder (The Netherlands)
Les 10 ans de la Maison Salvan, group show (France)
Art Cologne, BorzoGallery, Keulen-Germany
Paper Made, group show, Museum Belvedere, Friesland (The Netherlands)
Mensch, solo show, Park 013, Tilburg (Nederland)
Art Rotterdam, group show, Rotterdam (Nederland)
2015 Groupshow Night and Day, Galerie Dusseldorp, Tilburg
Art Drawing, Presented bij galerie Art Affairs Amsterdam and Borzo Amsterdam
Symposium, Gorinchem, The Netherlands
Kunstbunker, Neurenberg, Germany (kunstbunker - forum für zeitgenössische kunst e.v.)
Museum Belvedere, Friesland, The Netherlands
Art Cologne, BorzoGallery, Keulen- Germany
Vishal, Haarlem, The Netherlands
Kunsthal 45, den Helder, The Netherlands
galerie Witteveen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
galerie Art Affairs, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2014 Huis Marseille, Museum for Photography, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
group show, Historischer Kunstbunker, Nürnberg, Germany
Exhibition galerie Borzo, Amsterdam, Nederland
10 jaar Wit, group show, Galerie Wit, Wageningen, Nederland
Crossing Lines, group show, Work Place, Antwerp, Belgium
El Hombre ha Meurto in het Casa de Cultura de Tobasco, Mexico City
Galerie Wit, Wageningen, group show, Nederland
Art Brussel, galerie Borzo
le pas et la page, group show, Musée Gassendi (FR)
Museum Kranenburg, Bergen, group show, "Inspiratie"
Dia del Mexicanistas, Universiteit Groningen, Groningen
Scholte Museum, Den Helder
2013 RAW Rotterdam, galerie Borzo
Kunstpodium T, Leerling/Meester,Tilburg
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, performance/statement "Preserving The Artist"
Solo show, gallery Borzo, Amsterdam
Gorcums Museum Zwart Wit, Black& White
Opening Rob Scholte Museum, Den Helder
De kunst van het verzamelen, curated by Sjoerd Buisman, De vishal, Haarlem
Provinciehuis, Haarlem, groep show, "C=299792458m/s"
Museum Kranenburg, Bergen, group show, "Wonder"
Traces, herman de vries - Carlijn Mens, galerie Wit, Wageningen
En mouvement, Maison Salvan, saison du dessin contemporain Grapheine, Toulouse, France
2012 Haags gemeente museum, GEM, den haag, Holland, solo Art- Amsterdam, Holland
De Salon, Galerie Point to Point, Montpellier, France
Drawingcentrum Diepenheim
Mix op locatie, Bloemendaal - Holland
L.A.C. Lieu D'art Contemporain, Sigean - France
Kunstrai, galerie Borzo, Amsterdam - Holland
Preludium 4 in gesprek
LUMC, Leiden - Holland. Renie Spoelstra, Raguel Maulwurf, Carlijn Mens
2011 Drawing Centrum, Diepenheim - Holland. Hans Lemmen, Renie Spoelstra, Carlijn Mens.
Art-in-residence, Drawing Centre Diepenheim
Museum Belvedere, Friesland - Holland
Rob de Vries, Haarlem, Natuur 1. Armando, Sjoerd Buisman and Willem den Ouden
Loods 6, Amsterdam - Holland
Kunst op kamers, de Rijp - Holland
Gallery Witteveen, Amsterdam - Holland
Art Amsterdam, galerie Borzo - Holland
Time-Light-Dark, Webster university, Leiden - Holland
2010 Researching Preserved Places
Lines&Fields/Black and white, Borzo, Amsterdam
Performance Preserved Places "Dag van de Duinen",Schoorl
Preserved Places, Schoorlse Kunsten 2010, group exhibition, Schoorl
2009 'Zwart - Wit', group exhibition, Kunsthal, Den Helder
Ottilia Pribilla Gallery, solo exhibition, Antwerp - Belgium
'Licht, lucht en ruimte', group exhibition with Eva Besnya and Ko Oosterkerk, Borzo, Modern & Contemporary art - Amsterdam
'Gasthoven 09', group exhibition, Aarschot - Belgium
'Regenerated', group exhibition curated by Annelies Nagels, De Warande, Turnhout - Belgium
Ottilia Pribilla Gallery, group exhibition, Antwerp - Belgium
2008 'Kunstvlaai 08', Amsterdam
Ottilia Pribilla Gallery, solo exhibition, Antwerp - Belgium
'Licht aan Zee', group exhibition, Den Helder
2007 'Here as the Centre of the World', a transnational research project, Enschede
'For where we are we are not', DAI workshop at Villa Noailles, Hyères, France
'Brains Unlimited', group exhibition, Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal, Scheltema, Leiden
'Site etc...', group exhibition, Den Haag
'Progress in Space', group exhibition, Leiden
Galery 25 Limited, group exhibition, curated by Alex de Vries, Amsterdam
2006 'Here as the Centre of the World', a transnational research project, Beirut, Lebanon
'Kunstvlaai 6', group exhibition DAI, curated by Lisette Smits, Amsterdam
'Hole in the Brain', film for symposium, Universiteit Twenthe / Hoytema stichting, Enschede
'Grafiek 1', Graphic art project, Breda
2005 'Point of view', installation, group exhibition, Kruithuis, Den Bosch
'Fourth Open Screen Night', film 'Container', film festival Cinema Kriterion, Amsterdam
'BIMRAB', DAI workshop with Felix Kubin and Resonance FM, W139, Amsterdam
'Container', installation, Scheepvaart Museum, Amsterdam
'Art for sail', Loods 6, Amsterdam
'Sail Amsterdam', performance / installation 'Container', curated by Art for Sail, Amsterdam
2005-2009 Dutch Art Institute (DAI), Enschede
Postgraduate Research and Practice in Art - Master of Fine Art
2000-2005 Akademie voor Kunst en Vormgeving / St. Joost, 's Hertogenbosch
Bachelor of Fine Art
Tentoonstellingen & Projecten | Exhibitions & Projects
2018 Art On Paper, Borzo Gallery,stand 26, Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam
Koen Vermeule | Jurriaan Molenaar | Carlijn Mens, Exhibition in L.A.C. Sigean (France)
Roadside | Structuren, BorzoGallery (NL)
2016 Bade/ Mens, MDZ galerie, Knokke (Belgium)
Art Drawing, BorzoGallery, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Museum Belvedere, Friesland (The Netherlands)
Wind en Wolken, kunsthal 45, Den Helder (The Netherlands)
Les 10 ans de la Maison Salvan, group show (France)
Art Cologne, BorzoGallery, Keulen-Germany
Paper Made, group show, Museum Belvedere, Friesland (The Netherlands)
Mensch, solo show, Park 013, Tilburg (Nederland)
Art Rotterdam, group show, Rotterdam (Nederland)
2015 Groupshow Night and Day, Galerie Dusseldorp, Tilburg
Art Drawing, Presented bij galerie Art Affairs Amsterdam and Borzo Amsterdam
Symposium, Gorinchem, The Netherlands
Kunstbunker, Neurenberg, Germany (kunstbunker - forum für zeitgenössische kunst e.v.)
Museum Belvedere, Friesland, The Netherlands
Art Cologne, BorzoGallery, Keulen- Germany
Vishal, Haarlem, The Netherlands
Kunsthal 45, den Helder, The Netherlands
galerie Witteveen, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
galerie Art Affairs, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2014 Huis Marseille, Museum for Photography, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
group show, Historischer Kunstbunker, Nürnberg, Germany
Exhibition galerie Borzo, Amsterdam, Nederland
10 jaar Wit, group show, Galerie Wit, Wageningen, Nederland
Crossing Lines, group show, Work Place, Antwerp, Belgium
El Hombre ha Meurto in het Casa de Cultura de Tobasco, Mexico City
Galerie Wit, Wageningen, group show, Nederland
Art Brussel, galerie Borzo
le pas et la page, group show, Musée Gassendi (FR)
Museum Kranenburg, Bergen, group show, "Inspiratie"
Dia del Mexicanistas, Universiteit Groningen, Groningen
Scholte Museum, Den Helder
2013 RAW Rotterdam, galerie Borzo
Kunstpodium T, Leerling/Meester,Tilburg
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, performance/statement "Preserving The Artist"
Solo show, gallery Borzo, Amsterdam
Gorcums Museum Zwart Wit, Black& White
Opening Rob Scholte Museum, Den Helder
De kunst van het verzamelen, curated by Sjoerd Buisman, De vishal, Haarlem
Provinciehuis, Haarlem, groep show, "C=299792458m/s"
Museum Kranenburg, Bergen, group show, "Wonder"
Traces, herman de vries - Carlijn Mens, galerie Wit, Wageningen
En mouvement, Maison Salvan, saison du dessin contemporain Grapheine, Toulouse, France
2012 Haags gemeente museum, GEM, den haag, Holland, solo Art- Amsterdam, Holland
De Salon, Galerie Point to Point, Montpellier, France
Drawingcentrum Diepenheim
Mix op locatie, Bloemendaal - Holland
L.A.C. Lieu D'art Contemporain, Sigean - France
Kunstrai, galerie Borzo, Amsterdam - Holland
Preludium 4 in gesprek
LUMC, Leiden - Holland. Renie Spoelstra, Raguel Maulwurf, Carlijn Mens
2011 Drawing Centrum, Diepenheim - Holland. Hans Lemmen, Renie Spoelstra, Carlijn Mens.
Art-in-residence, Drawing Centre Diepenheim
Museum Belvedere, Friesland - Holland
Rob de Vries, Haarlem, Natuur 1. Armando, Sjoerd Buisman and Willem den Ouden
Loods 6, Amsterdam - Holland
Kunst op kamers, de Rijp - Holland
Gallery Witteveen, Amsterdam - Holland
Art Amsterdam, galerie Borzo - Holland
Time-Light-Dark, Webster university, Leiden - Holland
2010 Researching Preserved Places
Lines&Fields/Black and white, Borzo, Amsterdam
Performance Preserved Places "Dag van de Duinen",Schoorl
Preserved Places, Schoorlse Kunsten 2010, group exhibition, Schoorl
2009 'Zwart - Wit', group exhibition, Kunsthal, Den Helder
Ottilia Pribilla Gallery, solo exhibition, Antwerp - Belgium
'Licht, lucht en ruimte', group exhibition with Eva Besnya and Ko Oosterkerk, Borzo, Modern & Contemporary art - Amsterdam
'Gasthoven 09', group exhibition, Aarschot - Belgium
'Regenerated', group exhibition curated by Annelies Nagels, De Warande, Turnhout - Belgium
Ottilia Pribilla Gallery, group exhibition, Antwerp - Belgium
2008 'Kunstvlaai 08', Amsterdam
Ottilia Pribilla Gallery, solo exhibition, Antwerp - Belgium
'Licht aan Zee', group exhibition, Den Helder
2007 'Here as the Centre of the World', a transnational research project, Enschede
'For where we are we are not', DAI workshop at Villa Noailles, Hyères, France
'Brains Unlimited', group exhibition, Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal, Scheltema, Leiden
'Site etc...', group exhibition, Den Haag
'Progress in Space', group exhibition, Leiden
Galery 25 Limited, group exhibition, curated by Alex de Vries, Amsterdam
2006 'Here as the Centre of the World', a transnational research project, Beirut, Lebanon
'Kunstvlaai 6', group exhibition DAI, curated by Lisette Smits, Amsterdam
'Hole in the Brain', film for symposium, Universiteit Twenthe / Hoytema stichting, Enschede
'Grafiek 1', Graphic art project, Breda
2005 'Point of view', installation, group exhibition, Kruithuis, Den Bosch
'Fourth Open Screen Night', film 'Container', film festival Cinema Kriterion, Amsterdam
'BIMRAB', DAI workshop with Felix Kubin and Resonance FM, W139, Amsterdam
'Container', installation, Scheepvaart Museum, Amsterdam
'Art for sail', Loods 6, Amsterdam
'Sail Amsterdam', performance / installation 'Container', curated by Art for Sail, Amsterdam