Art Office

Inge Offense is together with Anic weave the duo Marie Pop. weave is abroad, called Mary Pop. Meanwhile, Offense the cases where in the Netherlands.

How did Marie Pop see life?
Offense: 'The PPR worked as a kickstart to take Marie Pop more seriously. Anic and I already knew each other stichting B.ad., she has a studio next to mine. Anic initially asked me to paint on her own photos, in addition we had the idea for some time to exhibit together. This gave rise to the idea not so much to paint on her photos, but to really make work together. Marie Pop's first exhibition was then singer-songwriter Mark Lotterman the alter ego invited to make work for his new album. Then came corona. The idea of ​​distance to keep, of was not touched part of our visual language." The situation gave rise to a series of works about the Bacchanal, the delirious ritual and religious drinking party from the classic ouness. Obecause partyen and celebrations had gone so far out of the picture due to the corona measures. But also because of the idea that those measures resulted in new, ritualistic actions.' 

 
The original plan was to three-woman exhibition to organize, with work by Aanstoot, weave en the alter ego Marie Pop. But the series of works they made as Marie Pop grew and grew and... turned out to be more than enough for a private exhibition. It took place at Outline Gallery. There was de opening performance The Opulent Temple or Lost Paradise in a nearby room, so that enough distance could be kept. Offense: 'We were dressed like temple priests, guiding visitors from one location to another in a long, silent polonaise. Everyone held a ribbon with a distance of 1,5 meters between the participants. Ritual acts like hand washing heardn there too. There were also offerings: a table full of delicacies en dried flowers were ready. The public left behind what they missed in times of corona. The final result looked like the remnants of a party, casual and casual. But it is a real corona work, which is about missing, about distance and lack of physical contact during a pandemic.' 
 
's photography weave is mostly empty and still, while Aanstoot paints full and grand. Offense: 'Our work meets in the middle. Marie Pop is an amalgamation, not a duo but an independent artist, tongue-in-cheek named after Mary Poppins. We do occasionally concessions, we experiment with, for example images from the Tarot. We both see it differently, but it fits in Marie Pop. In the work of Marie Pop we combine the photography and performances of Anic, with my Paint. But because we do it under a pseudonym, we have more freedom and dare to take bigger steps put.' 
 
'We devise the entire process together, we trust each other completely. We often speak in advance af what we want to make, but it doesn't mean that we agree on everything, and then rigidly implement it. No, we have the freedom, not all details are fixed. And, in my case as a painter: what is on it, is on it. You can't continue working with paint on a photo, like you can on cloth.' 
 
Marie Pop's work has a dark edge, but is also glossy, attractive and theatrical. Offense: 'For me it is very keyr, precise and beautiful. I am very much involved with history, with the way in which stories are told. We both love symbolism and mythical stories. I am interested in science, history and feminism: the fact that Vrouwen from history were written, for example, is a guiding principle in my work. It's also in Marie Pops work, but that also includes the wink, for example if we have a model with sausages. A bit flat maybe, but it's also symbolici mand humor.' 
 
Which meant PPR for Marie Pop? 
Offense: 'The award of PPR gave certainty, it took away the stress and uncertainty. we koWe therefore throw ourselves into Marie Pop and have made a huge difference. The corona time was not a lonely time for us, because at Stichting B.ad. are connected: we could meet up to ten meters away, and we met via Zoom or Teams. That's how we kept in touch. The first time Marie Pop exhibited in Contour Gallery we were shit nervous. We hadn't been able to show much yet. We sold a lot and received positive reactions. And we had support, didn't we only through CBK Rotterdam, but also through the Mondriaan Fund and Droom & Daad. We worked hard for it, but still, we're spoiled.'

Temporary work contribution PPR
Om artists during the corona lockdowns to help maintain their professional practice, launched CBK Rotterdam de Ttemporary Wacknowledgment Production, Presentation en Research (PPR) about this visual artists can are signed up at CBK Rotterdam. Divided into two rounds in 2020 in 2021 finally received bijna two hundred artists a contribution. The result of the temporary work contribution is bundled in a publication in which we, together with a few artists, look back and look forward. This is one of fifteen interviews from the publication.

Text: Machteld Leij
Photos: Mark Bolk