07 november 2025, Wouter van den Eijkel
The studio of... Naré Eloyan
Naré Eloyan is back in her old studio on Overtoom in Amsterdam. For the past two years, she has worked elsewhere in the city. She was a resident at the Rijksakademie, where she further deepened her practice as a painter. To her own surprise, she started painting during the lockdowns, at first out of boredom, but soon saw the possibilities that a brush offered. Before that, Eloyan made drawings, lithographs and etchings, but suddenly a multitude of new possibilities presented itself.
Eloyan’s exhibition Souvenirs and Samples is a reflection of the work she has done over the past two years. It reads like a visual diary. Through hand-painted memories, she explores such themes as childhood, memory, motherhood and loss.
This makes her work autobiographical yet universal.
Souvenirs and Samples by Naré Eloyan can be seen at Roof A in Rotterdam.
Until recently, you were a resident at the Rijksakademie, which means you have now returned to your old studio or found a new space. Where is your studio and what does it look like?
I’m back in my old studio on Overtoom in Amsterdam. It’s an old school building, about the same size as my old studio at the Rijks. My studio has a high ceiling and fantastic light!
What requirements do you have for a studio space? Painters prefer north-facing light, ceramicists need space for multiple kilns and sculptors usually start with a large storage area. What’s essential for you?
Yes, north-facing light and a place where I can look out the window. A mental ‘nothing space’. It shouldn’t be too isolated from the outside world, but also a place where I can work undisturbed. I arrive as early as possible—when the day begins and ideas come to me—and I try to work throughout the day in intervals. Longer painting periods are in the evening or on weekends. Distraction is always just around the corner, so I often catch myself doing things I never planned to do.
Naré Eloyan, End of the world, 2025, ROOF-A
As already mentioned, you were a resident at the Rijksakademie. Do those studios and facilities come close to the perfect studio?
They’re nice studios, but the Rijks could use an update. The studios in the riding hall are quite unique. The project spaces at the Rijks are also among my favourites and the project space in Hall East is a wonderful place for a presentation!
Why did you want to go to the Rijksakademie and did you have a specific goal?
I only started painting a few years ago. Before that, I drew, made prints, lithographs, etchings, woodcuts and linocuts. While doing my BA at the KABK, I mainly made short films and animations. I only started painting during the lockdowns. Like everyone else, I was home all day. It basically started out of sheer boredom. I never thought I would ever paint. I really surprised myself. That put me at a critical point in my career. The Rijks represented a place where I could experiment and fully focus on developing my artistic practice.
And has your work changed in content because of that experience?
No, I think I am the same artist. But I think I’ve gained more confidence. I now use better materials, brighter colours and have had more time. I think I am the best artist I can be right now, but I don’t think that’s good enough. Otherwise, I would stop now. I mean, look at someone like Jasper Johns or Louise Bourgeois. When I see an 80 or 90-year-old artist still making new things, I realise I’ve only just begun.
The main changes for me are how I present my work, the translations into different materials, learning new techniques (like glass casting) and in contact with other people—not only other residents and guest advisors, but also during the open days.
Naré Eloyan, Insomnia, 2025, ROOF-A
Congratulations on Souvenirs and Samples! Your exhibition shows work you have made over the past two years at the Rijksakademie. The press release mentions multilayered paintings. Does that mean something lies beneath the image?
The work is like a visual diary. The paintings consist of layered images. I try to make my work appeal to lots of different people, children and adults alike. I also want people to look at my work and understand exactly how it was made. In my work, you can see all the brushstrokes.
I always start with a larger painting and then cut into it. The cut pieces become new paintings; recycling my work is about remembering and trying to reclaim what has been lost. Maybe that sounds a little romantic. In fact, everything about art in my life is romantic, while everything about my real life is not romantic. I don’t know why; it’s just turned out that way.
Naré Eloyan, Ladies of the Evening, 2023, ROOF-A
You’re quoted in the press release: “With these paintings, I tried to capture the fluidity and surprise of visual connections.” Could you explain that in terms of Pauline B. or Ladies of the Evening?
My work is strongly autobiographical and explores such themes as childhood, memories, motherhood and loss. Ladies of the Evening, for example, consists of two works. In the background, you see a female head upside-down, while in the foreground are two women reminiscent of a domestic scene from my childhood. The body and human connection, the figures, express my fascination with the natural world and complexity of human interaction and relationships.
The work on paper is often about family, domesticity, sexuality and death. It relates to personal and universal human experiences. This recurring motif portrays the female body and symbolises the complex relationship between identity and home, as well as the body’s experience with social structures. The roles of mother and daughter, and their experiences—especially the complicated relationship with family—have deeply affected me and are a source of trauma I’ve dealt with throughout my life.
Naré Eloyan, P.B., 2025, ROOF-A
Suppose I were to give you carte blanche and money and time don’t matter. What kind of project would you start on?
It would definitely be multiple projects. If money didn't matter, I would probably further expand my multidisciplinary practice. I would also fund more philanthropic projects, such as setting up a nonprofit foundation for up-and-coming artists. I would also use that financial freedom to fund larger, more ambitious collaborative projects with other artists and musicians, or even with audiences.
I would also likely experiment with even more materials and techniques and combine them to create extensive, complex work that is currently not feasible due to cost. I would also incorporate more expensive or rare materials in my work, pushing the boundaries of what is considered art and how it is perceived.
Has your time at the Rijks given you enough material for several years of work?
I want to further immerse myself in glass casting. At the Rijks, I learned how to make moulds for casting. I also built my own electric guitar during my residency and performed a small show with another resident during the Open Studios. It would be nice to perform more often.
Naré Eloyan, Reverse Landscape, 2025, ROOF-A
