Annemarie Busschers
Annemarie Busschers
, Netherlands
About Annemarie Busschers
Annemarie Busschers (1970) lives and works in The Netherlands.
She received her formal training at the Academie Minerva, the Fine Arts Academy at Hanze University Groningen, in art and graphic techniques.
Busschers' search and finds of her subjects aren't random. She chooses just as her personal life develops. She started making portraits after the birth of her son, and after that, she focused on children of friends and acquaintances. But she kept concentrated on the skin. Later she involved grown-ups as well in her work. In these "˜mature' works, special features, acquired during life, started to emerge, and were elaborated on, in her paintings. She demonstrated again her own fascination with skin. The textures and shades, irregularities, birthmarks, scars, imperfections are all replicated in unabashed detail.
She takes photographs of her models and studies the photographs in painstaking detail. After that, she starts to "˜construct' the face anew. They are painted, but they are also constructed in layers. Busschers' portraits are built with a variety of things: acrylic paint, pencil, pastel, epoxy, wood, wax, paper, felt and even linen on the canvas. The result is far more powerful and textured than a portrait of mere pencil or paint or pastels on canvas or paper. Her works emerge like scientific, almost minute studies. Therefore, she only works in big formats.
The received appreciation resulted into a shift towards, as one might say, working on commission: portraying more or less famous persons. After some time, Busschers concluded that person and status hindered the making of a portrait. Historically, portraiture has been subject to working on commission, status and expectations of the portrayed. Independency, which Busschers regards for artists as indispensible, became threatened. Therefore, after a few years, she chose again for the anonymous portraits in which she autonomously could use faces for her work.
Ultimately, she portrayed herself. In a difficult, emotional period, she could do nothing else, but painting her own feelings, emotions and frame of mind on the canvas. That resulted in some very moving paintings.
Until recently, Busschers worked again with, for the public, unknown faces. But the stories, illnesses or deformaties that accompany these people are important and form an essential part of her fascination. She doesn't overdraw, though. Her skills vary in these works: quick, accurate, yet again punctilious and multilayered. Whatever the portrait needs, she uses her great mastering of skills in a broad variety of techniques.
Nowadays, Busschers discovered a new subtheme in her portraits: making portraits as objects, by reconstructing study materials towards a living face. These materials originate from academic heritage collections and consist of educational materials and medical reports of patients from earlier days. Almost nothing remains of these people: just a "˜dead' representation in pictures, drawings or plaster casts. In these portraits, Busschers shows the patients how they might have wished to be regarded as normal, everyday people. This longing for normalcy uses Busschers to reanimate these people, tens of years after they have passed away.
Remarkable remains the fact that this painting "˜back to life', indeed results in images of lively, vital people.
In her recent work, Busschers concentrates solely on the use of pencil and paint. Thinning the paint with water, interaction with the base drawing/layer takes place, which in turn gives special effects. But the use of different materials keeps playing, and will be playing, a vital part in her work. Never relying on proven methods, she thinks that the use of other materials still brings about new ideas and results. These techniques she applies on the small division of art and science. And therefore, she creates new works in new areas.
She received her formal training at the Academie Minerva, the Fine Arts Academy at Hanze University Groningen, in art and graphic techniques.
Busschers' search and finds of her subjects aren't random. She chooses just as her personal life develops. She started making portraits after the birth of her son, and after that, she focused on children of friends and acquaintances. But she kept concentrated on the skin. Later she involved grown-ups as well in her work. In these "˜mature' works, special features, acquired during life, started to emerge, and were elaborated on, in her paintings. She demonstrated again her own fascination with skin. The textures and shades, irregularities, birthmarks, scars, imperfections are all replicated in unabashed detail.
She takes photographs of her models and studies the photographs in painstaking detail. After that, she starts to "˜construct' the face anew. They are painted, but they are also constructed in layers. Busschers' portraits are built with a variety of things: acrylic paint, pencil, pastel, epoxy, wood, wax, paper, felt and even linen on the canvas. The result is far more powerful and textured than a portrait of mere pencil or paint or pastels on canvas or paper. Her works emerge like scientific, almost minute studies. Therefore, she only works in big formats.
The received appreciation resulted into a shift towards, as one might say, working on commission: portraying more or less famous persons. After some time, Busschers concluded that person and status hindered the making of a portrait. Historically, portraiture has been subject to working on commission, status and expectations of the portrayed. Independency, which Busschers regards for artists as indispensible, became threatened. Therefore, after a few years, she chose again for the anonymous portraits in which she autonomously could use faces for her work.
Ultimately, she portrayed herself. In a difficult, emotional period, she could do nothing else, but painting her own feelings, emotions and frame of mind on the canvas. That resulted in some very moving paintings.
Until recently, Busschers worked again with, for the public, unknown faces. But the stories, illnesses or deformaties that accompany these people are important and form an essential part of her fascination. She doesn't overdraw, though. Her skills vary in these works: quick, accurate, yet again punctilious and multilayered. Whatever the portrait needs, she uses her great mastering of skills in a broad variety of techniques.
Nowadays, Busschers discovered a new subtheme in her portraits: making portraits as objects, by reconstructing study materials towards a living face. These materials originate from academic heritage collections and consist of educational materials and medical reports of patients from earlier days. Almost nothing remains of these people: just a "˜dead' representation in pictures, drawings or plaster casts. In these portraits, Busschers shows the patients how they might have wished to be regarded as normal, everyday people. This longing for normalcy uses Busschers to reanimate these people, tens of years after they have passed away.
Remarkable remains the fact that this painting "˜back to life', indeed results in images of lively, vital people.
In her recent work, Busschers concentrates solely on the use of pencil and paint. Thinning the paint with water, interaction with the base drawing/layer takes place, which in turn gives special effects. But the use of different materials keeps playing, and will be playing, a vital part in her work. Never relying on proven methods, she thinks that the use of other materials still brings about new ideas and results. These techniques she applies on the small division of art and science. And therefore, she creates new works in new areas.
Exhibitions
2014 Groninger Museum
2014 400 jaar science, Der Aa-church, groningen
2014 Art Wynwood
2013 Art Copenhagen 30 aug- 1 sept.
2013 Art Southampton 25 -29 july
2013 Scope Basel 10-16 june
2013 Jacoba Wijk gallery, Wehe den Hoorn 17 ma- 19 ap
2013 Scope New York 6 - 10 ma
2013 art wynwood, Miami 14-18 feb
2013 art at the warehouse, Rotterdam 5-10 feb
2013 Museum Belvedere, Heerenveen 'Reset' t/m 13 feb
2012 Context Miami 5-9 december
2012 Pan Amsterdam 18-25 november
2012 Art Southhampton, 26 july 2012 - 30 july
2012 Witzenhausen Gallery, Chelsea New York, 19 july- 23 aug, solo show
2012 Scope Basel 12-17 june
2012 Scope New York 7-11 maart
2012 Art Wynwood, Miami 16-20 febr.
2112 Raw Rotterdam, Rotterdam 8-12 febr
2011 Pan Amsterdam
2011 Scope Miami
2011 ING 'het liefdevolle oog' Henriette Polak Museum, Zutphen
2011 Scope Basel
2011 Witzenhausen gallery, Chelsea NYC
2011 Scope New York
2011 10-13 febr Art Rotterdam
2011 Art Palm Beach, Florida 20 - 24 jan
2010 Scope Miami Nov30-dec5
2010 Pan Amsterdam Nov20- nov28
2010 Scope Basel
2010 Art Amsterdam
2010 Dutch art now, New York
2010 Museum de Fundatie
2009 'Conceptual Realism' A selection from the ING Collection, Kunsthal 52,Den Helder
2009 Art Amsterdam
2009 BP Award, Aberdeen Art Gallery
2008 BP Award, Wolverhampton Gallery
2008 Bp Award, National Portrait Gallery
2008 Art Amsterdam
2008 ING Realismo Olandese. Palazzo Leone da Perego, Legnano-Milano, Italy
2008 Zeeuws Maritiem MuZEEum Vlissingen. ING collection.
2007 Art Amsterdam
2007 J.K. Egbertsprize. Pictura, Groningen
2007 Museum de Buitenplaats, Eelde
2007 Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
2007 Kunsthal, 'Leve de Schilderkunst! Terug naar de figuur' Rotterdam
2007 Aberdeen Art Gallery
2006 Gorcums Museum 'De magie van het Realisme'8
2006 National Portrait Gallery, London
2006 Art Amsterdam
2006 150th Anniversary Portrait Gala, National Portrait Gallery, London
2006 Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh
2005 Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
2005 National Portrait Gallery, London
2005 'Painted Reality'National Museum Stettin, Poland
2004'Painted Reality'National Museum Krakau, Poland
2014 400 jaar science, Der Aa-church, groningen
2014 Art Wynwood
2013 Art Copenhagen 30 aug- 1 sept.
2013 Art Southampton 25 -29 july
2013 Scope Basel 10-16 june
2013 Jacoba Wijk gallery, Wehe den Hoorn 17 ma- 19 ap
2013 Scope New York 6 - 10 ma
2013 art wynwood, Miami 14-18 feb
2013 art at the warehouse, Rotterdam 5-10 feb
2013 Museum Belvedere, Heerenveen 'Reset' t/m 13 feb
2012 Context Miami 5-9 december
2012 Pan Amsterdam 18-25 november
2012 Art Southhampton, 26 july 2012 - 30 july
2012 Witzenhausen Gallery, Chelsea New York, 19 july- 23 aug, solo show
2012 Scope Basel 12-17 june
2012 Scope New York 7-11 maart
2012 Art Wynwood, Miami 16-20 febr.
2112 Raw Rotterdam, Rotterdam 8-12 febr
2011 Pan Amsterdam
2011 Scope Miami
2011 ING 'het liefdevolle oog' Henriette Polak Museum, Zutphen
2011 Scope Basel
2011 Witzenhausen gallery, Chelsea NYC
2011 Scope New York
2011 10-13 febr Art Rotterdam
2011 Art Palm Beach, Florida 20 - 24 jan
2010 Scope Miami Nov30-dec5
2010 Pan Amsterdam Nov20- nov28
2010 Scope Basel
2010 Art Amsterdam
2010 Dutch art now, New York
2010 Museum de Fundatie
2009 'Conceptual Realism' A selection from the ING Collection, Kunsthal 52,Den Helder
2009 Art Amsterdam
2009 BP Award, Aberdeen Art Gallery
2008 BP Award, Wolverhampton Gallery
2008 Bp Award, National Portrait Gallery
2008 Art Amsterdam
2008 ING Realismo Olandese. Palazzo Leone da Perego, Legnano-Milano, Italy
2008 Zeeuws Maritiem MuZEEum Vlissingen. ING collection.
2007 Art Amsterdam
2007 J.K. Egbertsprize. Pictura, Groningen
2007 Museum de Buitenplaats, Eelde
2007 Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
2007 Kunsthal, 'Leve de Schilderkunst! Terug naar de figuur' Rotterdam
2007 Aberdeen Art Gallery
2006 Gorcums Museum 'De magie van het Realisme'8
2006 National Portrait Gallery, London
2006 Art Amsterdam
2006 150th Anniversary Portrait Gala, National Portrait Gallery, London
2006 Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh
2005 Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
2005 National Portrait Gallery, London
2005 'Painted Reality'National Museum Stettin, Poland
2004'Painted Reality'National Museum Krakau, Poland
