Femke Hiemstra’s acrylic paintings carry a whimsical, absorbing quality no matter the canvas. A new collection, “Sonntag Spaßtag,” offers works on books, panels, and other objects at Jaski Art Gallery in Amsterdam. It’s been a decade since the Dutch artist has shown in Holland. She was last mentioned on HiFructose.com here.
Femke Hiemstra’s work always tickles the senses with its sumptuous textures and whimsical details and her upcoming solo show, “Warten am Waldrand,” at Roq La Rue in Seattle is no exception. The artist (recently featured in a special sketchbook section in Hi-Fructose Vol. 29) is known for the storybook quality of her drawings and paintings. But beyond the naive exterior, her animal vignettes sometimes take on a darker tone. Hiemstra does not strive for a cartoonish “creepy-cute” aesthetic, but rather invokes notes of somber emotions to give her characters full dimensionality. Her playful works tap into her viewers’ nostalgia for childhood, but the allegorical paintings offer plenty of opportunity for viewers to see reflections of themselves and the world around them.
Tonight, Seattle’s Roq La Rue will open two side-by-side solo shows: John Brophy’s “Breaking the Spell” and Femke Hiemstra’s “The Timid Cabbage.” A continuation of her previous series of “Timid Cabbage” graphite drawings, Hiemstra plunges into a world of animate vegetables with spiritual inclinations. A hallmark of her work, the characters experience religious revelations and divine interventions that punctuate the depictions of their mundane world. Brophy’s “Breaking the Spell” also explores spiritual themes but through a digital lens. Brophy’s oil paintings are rendered in a vividly three-dimensional style that makes them akin to digital renderings. The glowing, hologram-like characters interact with ancient goddess symbols and elements of pagan ritual. Brophy’s commentary on consumer culture becomes apparent when logos and dollar signs appear on the characters’ skin. “Breaking the Spell” and “The Timid Cabbage” will be on view through January 4. Take a look at more some work from the two shows after the jump.
We’ve just added Femke Hiemstra’s brand new postcard set to our store! Produced by the experts at Pressure Printing, this beautiful set of 16 finely-printed cards come in a neat, tidy folder package. Tiny reproductions of Femke’s storybook-like oil paintings, the postcards are the perfect way to take home her work for yourself or a fellow art lover. You can see more of Femke’s work in the special insert in our latest issue. Get one for a gift today in our online store. More photos after the jump.
Our latest issue, Hi-Fructose Volume 29, hit newsstands and bookstores at the beginning of October and this issue features a special sketchbook insert by Femke Hiemstra. Known for her surreal paintings of anthropomorphized animals, Hiemstra is a deft draftsperson whose high-contrast monochromatic artworks contain a similar mysticism to her color-saturated oil paintings. Illuminated as if by candlelight, the graphite drawings in the sketchbook insert inside the issue are printed on heavyweight sketchbook paper and offer an intimate look at Hiemstra’s creative process. Take a look at some of the works in the sketchbook insert and pick up your copy of Hi-Fructose Vol. 29 to see the rest of the work. See more after the jump.
Known for her richly-detailed storybook worlds, Femke Hiemstra will debut a new solo show at Los Angeles’ Merry Karnowsky Gallery titled “Fiebertraum” (“Fever Dream” in German) this Saturday, June 22. For this new series, the artist presents some of her most elaborate work yet. Hiemstra illuminates private moments in the lives of her anthropomorphic animal characters, exposing her viewers to intimate household scenes and spiritual experiences alike to give a well-rounded understanding of this imaginary world. The new work for “Fiebertraum” is brimming with visual details from the presentation (many of the paintings are rendered on altar-like panels adorned with tassels) to the patterns and textures of the animals’ fur. Hiemstra will be showing alongside Deedee Cheriel and Mel Kadel. Take a look at some of the work in the show after the jump and check out “Fiebertraum” June 22 through July 20.