Roos van der Vliet
Mirrors of Your Soul
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 18 from 6 PM- 10 PM
Masks and Social Distancing Required
Thinkspace Projects is excited to present Roos van der Vliet’s latest solo show, ‘Mirrors of Your Soul.’ Featuring an entirely new collection of the hyperrealistic depictions of hair she is known for, there is a piercing energy at the heart of each piece.
The body of work is the result of the recent pandemic, a return to portraits at a time of extreme isolation. Van der Vliet begins each painting with the eyes, bringing the subject to life from that first moment, a magnetic vitality that is immediately evident to viewers. While the concepts of this solo exhibition are familiar for the artist–hair, piercing eyes, golden hour light–the intention behind the works has changed. Rather than focusing on differences, ‘Mirrors of Your Soul’ highlights the similarities between us, emphasizing that we are all more alike than we often care to admit.
“We are all dealing with the same stuff around the world, although all stories are unique, all countries are different and the amount of suffering clearly differs from person to person, it’s all stories in space and time. In our very essence we are all the same. That what binds us are not our differences, our personal stories, our childhood trauma’s, our successes in life, it’s the fact that we’re all here at the same time as one species, the human race.”
Roos van der Vliet’s solo exhibition is a means of communication, an effort on the part of the artist to interact and connect with each viewer through the eyes of her paintings. Following a period of such tremendous loneliness, safe and varied interaction is more important than ever. Through her work, van der Vliet aims to diversify the ways we connect and offer a new catalyst for reflection.
About Roos van der Vliet
Roos van der Vliet (b. 1985) is a Dutch artist, based in Duiven, the Netherlands. She got her BFA in 2009, and has been painting ever since, creating work that has been exhibited throughout the world. She is known for her hyperrealistic portraits where women stare through the confines of their hair with a striking gaze, and her more abstract paintings of swirling hair compositions with brightly colored birds. Painting is like meditation to Roos, especially when she paints what she’s known for best: hair. It is a way to draw back from the enigmatic world that overwhelms her and leaves her with more questions than answers. From rough strands to the tiniest hairs, whenever she finds her repetitive flow, her mind wanders off into the stillness of her being, where she finds an understanding of her own existence, her mortality and her triviality in the grand scheme of things.
‘Mirrors of Your Soul’ opens September 18, 2021 with a reception from 6PM to 9PM. On view until October 9, 2021 at Thinkspace Projects.
