Arctic Modernism Print

Cécile van Hanja, born in Corsica in 1964 and a graduate from the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam in 1993, is an artist residing and working in Haarlem, Netherlands. Her artistic journey was profoundly influenced by her early years spent in the South of France, where she later found inspiration in the structured landscapes of the Netherlands. Van Hanja’s works embody the principles of ‘De Stijl’ and Modernism, particularly influenced by Piet Mondrian’s straight lines and the movement’s pursuit of harmony and unity. Her fascination with the ideas of hope and prosperity stemming from these movements of the 20th century reflects in her paintings, which often depict modern architectural compositions characterized by rhythmic patterns of verticals and horizontals. Emphasizing immaterial aspects by creating open spaces, her paintings feature transparent walls and floors, leading to an interplay of reflections and vanishing points. The deliberate use of thin layers of acrylic and oil paint adds depth and luminosity to her works, allowing underlying colors to shine through and preventing the architectural compositions from becoming static. Cécile van Hanja’s art is known for its multi-colored labyrinth of spaces, creating an illusion of depth and complexity within a structured framework of lines and reflections. Her compositions invite viewers to explore the blend between rational and intuitive thinking, offering a unique perspective on modern architectural landscapes through her layered and transparent artistic approach. Her works are displayed in various private collections globally and represented by prominent galleries such as the Fremin Gallery in New York and Saatchi Art’s Samsung Architecture collection.