Franka van Neerven @ Broomhill
We have asked the artist to provide a statement about their work, an edited personal history, and a selection of exhibitions and commissions. The content here is entirely their words and selection. Works illustrated here have been chosen by the artist.
The works shown on this page are not necessarily on display at Broomhill.
The Artist Speaks
Franka van Neerven studied at the Academy of Industrial Design in Eindhoven and learned the tricks of sculpturing in stone from Lucien van der Eerden, Jan Wils and Henk Oddens.
She started to sculpture again in 1990 and was part of a regular circle of sculptors.
Her development as a sculptor shows a gradually increasing preference for working with larger forms and participating in joined projects. Together with Jelle Persoon and Gidy Knoors she forms the sculptors collective ‘PASSIE’.
The collective is working on a number of environmental art projects in the Netherlands.
Stones tell her their own stories and evoke certain emotions. Her aim is to communicate these emotions to the spectator. The evolving images are semi-figurative or non-figurative.
She works in a great variety of stone (alabaster,azul cielo, Conamara marble), but has a preference for granite, noir de mazy, rouge royal and Indian marble.
She made study tours to Norway (Oslo-Vigeland), France (Paris-Rodin) (Carnac), Italy (Carrare, Florence and Tuscany), the Czech Republic (Prague) and Finland (Helsinki-Rock Church and Art-Nouveau-buildings), Austria (Vienna) and Spain (Gaudi) (Barcelona) Granada(Alhambra)and Sevilla.
She participated in several exhibitions. Various people, institutions and companies in the Netherlands as well as abroad own her work. Some of that work is made by commission. One of her latest exhibitions took place at the Alfred Blomme Museum - Roeselaere in Belgium. Her installation "Elements" is part of the 'Small monuments Tour' - an international exhibition tour of small sculptures. This exhibition tour is visiting Japan, USA, Korea, and in Europe, England, Germany, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands.
For an update of the exhibitions please look at her website.
She is a member of the professional artist group of the municipality Nuenen.
