Marinda Vandenheede creates sculptural objects, works on paper, and paintings that employ natural, used, and discarded materials. “I tend to work with weathered, natural materials that testify to the beauty of decay.” Such materials lend a sensitivity and sense of wonder to her works that contrast her use of lines and geometric forms.
Her paintings and drawings often contain a rough-edged, imperfect geometry combined with used paper and other repurposed surfaces – abstract, yet very much part of this world. Her objects border on the surreal as they repurpose recognizable worn and aging items and worldly fragments.
Vandenheede’s practice embraces imperfection, atrophy, and stillness. It is a rejection of perfection, disconnectedness, and consumerism. “I use discarded, ‘out-of-use' things, that no longer meet the exacting standards of our Western society, giving them a new life as works of art.” Layers of time and narrative potential are embedded in her materials. She invites viewers to take a moment to be still and to take a deeper look.
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Marinda Vandenheede
Re:Generations
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Before I select the page, I select the book itself… I look at the font, the layout, the white spaces on the pages, the color of the paper… Most importantly, it will be a book that has clearly been used. These signs of use can be precious. - Marinda Vandenheede
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Pars Pro Toto Series
Ink on book pages -
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The fact that these objects are no longer perfect, and in many cases that they no longer meet the exacting standards of western society, draws me to them. I want to give them a new purpose, a new life as a work of art. - Marinda Vandenheede
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Relief Sculpture Series
Reclaimed wood | Rulers | Tape measures -
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My work is there for whoever is ready for discovery. If you take the time to look, new layers emerge from the small details and nuances. People tell me they are rewarded by this little universe that opens up and encourages them to stand still. – Marinda Vandenheede
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The Space Between Us Series
Paper | Reclaimed wooden rulers -
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In Belgium, there is a saying that when you stand still, you’re going backward. My view is that it is only when you stop and stand still do you realize you might have already been running backward… I want to offer people the opportunity to stand still and breathe, if only for a few seconds. - Marinda Vandenheede
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Press Release 22.02.2021
Marinda Vandenheede – Re:Generations
Online exhibitionMarch 3. – April 2. 2021
Re:Generations is an online exhibition of the curious and quietly enchanting works of Belgian artist Marinda Vandenheede. From March 3rd, the Ronewa viewing room presents Vandenheede’s sculptural objects and paper works that repurpose found objects marked by use and time, and attest to the beauty of wear and decay.
The objects that find their way into Vandenheede’s studio are humble, seemingly mundane artifacts that bear traces of a past life. She is drawn to materials weathered by nature and vulnerable to erosion, such as wood, paper, and metal. Oxidized surfaces, smudges and stains, scribbles, tears, and nicked edges are preserved and treasured by Vandenheede as she reforms these worldly fragments into works of art that stir the imagination.
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Artist Interview: Objects of Harmony and Decay — An interview with Marinda Vandenheede
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