MARJOLIJN HOUDIJK
Step into Marjolijn Houdijk’s world and see how she reimagines the human figure in her art
Marjolijn Houdijk (born in 1981) graduated in 2024 from the prestigious Gerrit Rietveld Academie. As an artist, she explores the artistic value of the human body, delving deeply into its complexities and expressive potential. Her process is both intuitive and deliberate, allowing for a unique blend of spontaneity and precision in her work.
Marjolijn’s art exists at the intersection of time, space, and human movement. She is fascinated by the way the body interacts with its environment and how these interactions can be captured and expressed through art. Her work often reflects a dynamic interplay between physical form and the abstract concepts of temporality and spatiality.
In August 2021, Marjolijn's work was exhibited in the group exhibition "Mirror Mirror" at Kunsthal KAdE in Amersfoort. This exhibition provided a platform for her to showcase her exploration of the human body, gaining recognition for her innovative approach to depicting movement and form.
In her creative practice, Marjolijn seeks to push the boundaries of traditional representations of the human figure. She is interested in how movement can convey emotion and narrative, inviting viewers to engage with her pieces on a deeper level. Through her work, she aims to challenge perceptions and encourage a dialogue about the body’s role in art and society.
Marjolijn continues to evolve as an artist, drawing inspiration from a wide range of disciplines, including dance, sculpture, and performance art. Her work is a testament to her commitment to exploring the limitless possibilities of human expression and the profound impact of art on our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
MARJOLIJN HOUDIJK IN hER own words
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"I love observing people, studying their unique and characteristic movements, and trying to replicate them. I’m fascinated by how they navigate through space or within a crowd. Do they interact with others or their environment? Are there invisible or unspoken rules or behaviors to be discovered? Sometimes I find answers, and other times, it leads to new insights or questions."
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"My creative process often begins with the documentation or recording of physical movement, driven by my intrinsic motivation to move. I focus on where the tension or tipping point lies in a movement or situation. This often becomes the starting point for a new work."
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"I’ve just completed a three-month artist residency in the former Koepel prison in Haarlem. It was an incredibly fertile period—physically, mentally, and above all, sensorially. The experience has given me several projects I want to continue developing in the coming months, taking them to a deeper level of exploration."
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"I dream a lot, so the list is long! If I had to highlight one in the category of 'exploring another medium,' it would be ‘glassblowing with my lung capacity.’ It seems magical to capture something as dynamic as your breath in a hard, smooth, transparent, yet so fragile medium."