Mirjam van Baardwijk

My fascination with the various facets of daily life mixed with fantasy images is central. My work consists of photo’s, paintings, drawings and collages. After my study at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, I had several exhibitions and also had an exchange program with the Art school in Budapest, where I became fascinated with black and white photography and printing photographs in a lab. I made photographs of daily life in Budapest, empty houses, streets, people and worked on a project called bathrooms and people. 

Travel notebooks

I became fascinated with Asia the moment I put my foot on the soil. Especially the hidden depths of India. Asia is a source of inspiration for me. When I travel, I take along my notebooks and fill them with drawings and collages, which I keep as a special meaning for myself. I sometimes transform them into moving images which results in an animated film. 

Whenever I travel, I bring my notebooks and fill them with drawings and collages. My recent series of collages and drawings stems from various trips to Asia, full of color, hidden memories, and dreams. In these works, I leave behind pieces of dreams where fantasy and reality come together. These collages hold a special meaning for me because they provide color and space, balancing me on the edge between traveling and staying home." 

Guestrooms

During my travels I captured all the rooms I slept in. I reveal through my drawings of all the rooms I have seen, the mysteries they hold, the memories and the dreams. In the vibrant colors of these rooms I describe the segments of dreams where fantasy and reality meet. When I travel, I move and my ideas move with me. Movement creates space for fantasizing and imagination. When my mind becomes curious I start drawing.

Photography

I love to take photo's at unexpected moments. Just to hold the image in a frame you create at that moment. All the wonders and emotions of that moment, are captured in that one photograph. During my travels I like to make photo's to pay closer attention to my surroundings. Photography is also a way for me to connect with the world around me. When I take a picture, I slow down and observe more carefully. I often notice small details especially those of daily life what others might not see at that moment. This helps me experience the journey more deeply and understand the culture in a more personal way. Every image I take in Asia becomes a piece of my story as an artist and as a traveler.

 

Als woelig water tot rust komt, wordt het langzaam helder. Als iets traag in beweging komt, komt het langzaam tot leven ( Lao Tse)