Sonja Hillen

1964,Gaanderen, The Netherlands

The common thread in my work is formed by the major events in my life and also in the lives of others, such as motherhood, illness and grief. How is that reflected?
This thread is intertwined with the longing for the place where I want to be. A life long search starting from a feeling of nostalgia and an indefinable melancholy for something or somewhere I don't even have a memory of.
My artworks are drawings with embroidery on canvas or paper. In my spatial artworks I use textiles, embroidery and other materials. Working with textiles and embroidery has been instilled in me from an early age. Still, it was not an obvious choice to use this material. I've slowly grown towards it. In the end, this became the material I prefer to work with the most.

I have a love-hate relationship with time. The works I make are labour-intensive and the work process is slow. It all has to be done by hand, even though this requires a lot of patience. However this does give me the time to change the image or my idea 'during its creation'.
For me embroidery means working with 'the human dimension', just like walking. At work, I'm in a bubble where time slows done. Outside of it everything is restless. Precisely b...

Nieuwe Akademie Utrecht, NL, 1999-2004
Masterclass Rosemin Hendriks, 29 + 30 juni, Ateliers Westerdok in Amsterdam, NL, 2019
Drawing Inventions Academy, DIA, Master in drawing, Amsterdam, NL, 2020

2023:
BIEN 2023, Textile Art Biennial, The Sun, Kranj, Slovenië
Kwaadaardig Mooi, Museum Tot Zover, Amsterdam, NL (idee en curator, samen met Kim Tieleman)
2022:
Malicious Beauty, Museum Tot Zover, Amsterdam, NL
Limburg Biënnale, Marres, Mastricht, NL
Into the We-Space, door Ever_Emerging_Artists, Artlovers.space, Brummen, NL
Tijdspinsels, Koppelkerk, Bredevoort, NL
2021:
UKCPS 20th Anniversary Gala Exhibition, Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London, UK
ODE aan 40 jaar Kunstinitiatief De Nieuwe Gang, Beuningen, NL
ZomerSalon Royaal,CBKZuidoost, Amsterdam, NL
Artist Support Pledge, De Balie, Amsterdam, NL,
Ever Emerging Mag nr 2, the dutch edition, NL
2020:
Artist Support Pledge, De Balie in Amsterdam, NL
“Art in the time of Coronavirus & Social Distancing”, online exhibit, Lyon, F
2019:
“Grootse kunst, fijne prijzen”, Kunstinitiatief De Nieuwe Gang, Beuningen, NL
Art Festival 2019 – Fakeart | an art zine with a twist, USA
FakeArt issue 2, Your first and your last, 2 pagina’s, USA
“Dialogen #6”, met Dalila Ammar, tentoonstelling en artist-talk, De Nieuwe Gang, Beuningen, NL
“Kunstenaarsboeken-Boekenkunst”, Kunsthal 45, Den Helder, NL
“De Moeder De Vrouw”, WG Kunst, Amsterdam, NL
Artist in residence and Open Ateliers in ArToll, Bedburg ...