Marijke de Pous

artistic research - crossover - body - drawing - ecology

Like a dancer expressing emotion through movement or a sculptor capturing presence with one pose perpetually still, I like to use the body as a tool for direct expression. Amidst mountains, fields and in my studio I dance with landscape and materials to explore our emotional and physical relationship to the earth and to each other.

Central to my way of working is an iterative use of drawing, performative gesture, (digital) collage and photographic registration. The encounters between body and other are purposefully multi-layered and often hold ambiguities or contradictions. Are we witnessing inner strength or turmoil? Lightness or a burden? Silence or shout? Rather than resolving these paradoxes, I am intrigued by their juxtaposition, stretching the space of possibility and meaning.

  • Portfolio
  • Activities
  • Awarded
  • Contact

    • Choreographies of power

    Task

    • 04-12-2023 t/m 21-03-2024
    • In collaboration with: Copernicus Institute Utrecht
    • Building on the deep resonance between my artistic practice and prof.dr. Flor Avelino's research on power, paradox and justice, I was comissioned to create a new series of work as an integral part of her inaugural lecture. The works are an embodied exploration of power(lessness) and entanglement and featured prominently in her lecture and upcoming publication. A new edition of 'Earthling Entangled' of 120 x 180cm was also created and exhibited in the Senate Hall of the Academy Building.

    Here Be Dragons

    Exhibition / presentation

    • 10-06-2023 t/m 11-06-2023
    • Location: Workhorse, Amsterdam
    • Organization and participation in trio exhibition with drawings and mixed media work by Iris Frerichs, Maja Badnjevic and Marijke de Pous. "Legend goes Here Be Dragons would appear on maps just like mapmakers would place monsters and other imagined creatures to mark unexplored areas. There is appeal in the unknown as much as it unsettled. We search for tension and juxtapose opposites. What might we find? We scatter. We become what is other, while structures and landscape become creature."
    • https://marijkedepous.squarespace.com/news/here-be-dragons

    Drawing Inventions Academy 2022-2023

    Other

    • 28-09-2022 t/m 20-03-2023
    • Participation in the 2022 edition of the master's track in contemporary drawing for professional artists of the Drawing Inventions Academy. Under the guidance of Arno Kramer, Marisa Rappard and Caren van Herwaarden.
    • https://drawinginventionsacademy.com/

    Video essay - performative sculpture and music video

    Task

    • 28-09-2022 t/m 09-11-2022
    • In collaboration with: International School of Philosophy
    • Location: ao Estate ISVW, Leusden
    • Commissioned by the International School of Philosophy (ISVW), I created a site specific 'performative sculpture' as part of the philosophical video essay 'If the truth were a witch'. The essay was created in collaboration with philosopher Tim de Mey, author Annelies Verbeke, cellist and composer Saartje van Camp (Spinvis) and videographer Stefan de Graaff. In addition to my performative sculpture, I made the 'exit music video' in close collaboration with Saartje van Camp.
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZo5PUuHsUY&t=5s

    Residence studios Lange Hilleweg

    Residencies / exchange

    • 01-03-2022 t/m 08-07-2022
    • Location: 235 Lange Hilleweg, Rotterdam
    • Residence of four months in a large and bright studio at Lange Hilleweg 235. This in-depth work period, separate from my studio at home, was made possible by sculptor Els Kingsma, who made her beautiful studio available to me from the beginning of March to the end of June. During the Groot Rotterdams Atelier Weekend I will be exhibiting a selection of new work made during the residency.

    (Not) my logo

    Performance

    • Location: Oude Gracht shop window, Utrecht
    • 40 min live performance, 22 minute video registration

    art fiction

    Project

    • In collaboration with: Young Art Foundation
    • Location: Amersfoort,
    • Project in which 9 artists could each realize a temporary work in public space, including residency and publication.

    Acknowledgments

      Pricing

    • KM award for innovative material use

    • 2004
      Pricing

    • Nomination PUG prize, Best graduate in Fine Art, Theater and Music 2003 – 2006 HKU

    • 2006
      Pricing

    • Innovation Award, outstanding innovative work at Transition Academy, EUR

    • 2019
      Publication

    • Radical Nuance, a metaphilosophical reflection on the thinking of Henri Bergson

    • 2010
    • thesis
    • Erasmus University Rotterdam - Marijke de Pous
      Publication

    • Seven Years of Transition Academy at DRIFT

    • 2021
    • DRIFT, Erasmus University Rotterdam - Marijke de Pous and Prof. Flor Avelino