In her work, Isa Roelink weaves together various subjects from a deeply personal perspective into large tapestries. During the SBK Sprouts Young Talents exhibition in 2023, the artist won the SBK-Otto Hetterscheid Stimulus Prize. This prize included the acquisition of a piece and an exhibition at SBK Gallery. This exhibition is currently taking place from May 18th to June 30th.
Isa Roelink (1997) graduated from the painting department of the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. In her work, she combines dream and science, myth and reality, history and current affairs, ancient tales and modern pop culture.
As an artist, she embraces the subtle power of textiles as a medium of profound traditions and expressions, showcasing the value of craftsmanship in a modern context. Her work places the traditional meaning of textile art within the context of painting. The textile works thus serve as a playground where boundaries blur. The contrasts between the mundane and the epic, combined with traditional textile techniques presented in an extremely contemporary design.
Isa merges her own world with the fictional world. The textile creations serve as a visual bridge between the stories of the past and the present, demonstrating that the relevance of ancient stories withstands the test of time. Myths, legends, and narratives provide an endless source of inspiration for the artist. Therefore, the textile works embody a deeper understanding of the shared human experience, embodying the timeless nature of our stories.
The SBK Otto Hetterscheid Stimulus Prize
The SBK Otto Hetterscheid Stimulus Prize aims to support young artists in their artistic development. It is a joint initiative of SBK and the Otto Hetterscheid Foundation. The prize consists of the acquisition of a work and an exhibition in one of SBK’s galleries. During this exhibition, the winner’s work will be shown alongside one or more works by visual artist Otto Hetterscheid (1927-2010).
The jury of the Otto Hetterscheid Foundation said during the award ceremony about her work:
“In a time when fleeting images dominate, Roelink’s exuberantly colorful and narrative work demands time and attention. Time to take it all in and admire, time to touch, time to delve into, but above all, much time to be created. In her work, myths, fairy tales, old masters, and stories come to life through the use of traditional textile techniques in a contemporary design, executed in various soft textile materials. It results in a powerful visual language where old and new worlds are so interconnected that they form a timeless whole. We see the uniqueness, versatility, and dedication of this artist as an important source for further development.”
We would like to invite you to the opening, which will take place on May 18 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The exhibition will be on display from May 18 to June 30 at SBK location Amsterdam KNSM.
