About

Wilma Vissers

“I am inspired by emptiness and space. Spatiality and infinite space must be present even in the smallest work. That is why I go to Ireland, Scotland and Iceland for several weeks every year.“

For my work as a visual artist, stays abroad have been especially important. During the past few years I had the oppurtunity to work in several  artist residencies in Ireland and Scotland. Iceland and the Faroer Islands.
I have worked independently and took part in projects and I took important artistic steps during these stays.
What fascinates me about an artist residency is that it is often in an enviremont where there is no art or where art has a total different meaning then the one I give to it or the meaning customary in the Netherlands.
This creates a special tension and makes me ask myself questions about my artistery. A residency is therefore always an inspiring experience in which openings arise to new developments in my work

What do we call a painting? Often this is a linen or cotton canvas on a frame, I like to practice painting without using these classical means creating something more experimental.
I use light, colour and space on pieces of wood, paper and paper maché, and other materials like utensils. I play around with how much of a painting I can reduce and leave out, and then combines certain pieces together, you could call this a constellation. A certain lightness and humour is essential to me.
I try to create work that isn’t about me. It is abstract and minimalistic and the use of material is very important. It can be a piece of wood with a special colour or a piece of coffee bean sack on which I add colour. You could call this an intuitive, explorative practice.

I often presents my artworks as a total structure on the wall. The combination of the artworks together is important. The white spaces in between matter and you step from one work to another with your eyes. There is a total view in which every separate art piece plays a role.
The painting is also an object in the space, which makes you experience the wall and the space around much more.
Is what I am doing still painting? The past years I find myself in between painting and sculpting.Space plays an important role: not only the space between my artworks, but also how a space is used when I present them as a large installation on the wall.
I want to pay attention to the detail of each individual work of art that was made separately, without losing sight of the larger whole formed by all of them together.

Wilma Vissers Artist

Curriculum Vitae – CV

Name: Wilma Vissers
Studio: Hofstraat 21-16, Groningen
The Netherlands
E-mail; info@wilmavissers.com
Website: www.wilmavissers.com

Art education
Royal Academy of Art and Design, Den Bosch,
1984-1985 ( second year )
Direction: Graphic Arts and Painting

Academy of Visual Arts Minerva, Groningen, 1985-1989
Final examination: 1989
Direction: Graphic Arts and Painting

Exhibitions( a selection )
2024:
“Travel References” ARTisBOOK Groningen group
“Le Pli” Abstract Project Paris group
“Sale” Ruimte Ceasuur Middelburg group

2023:
The Projektroom Glasgow, Group, UK
Abstract Project Paris Group

2022; Group exhibitions, Gloam Gallery, Sheffield UK
“An Expanding Field” curated by Stu Burke
“Farbmalerei Positionen-Niederlande”
VFAKR Oberhausen Germany
“Druk” Kunstlokaal 08 Jubbega
2020; Fenderesky Gallery, Belfast, Solo

2019;
Dingeman House/ the Zonnestraal, Essentie, Utrecht/ Hilversum, Group
Keik. Groningen, with Lydia Wierenga
‘Drawing Now’ at Institute of Contemporary Art
Maine College of Art, Portland USA. Group
Exhibition Duo Groningen. Solo

2018;
Bos Fine Art Den haag. Group
Art Noord Belvedere, Kunstlokaal 08
‘Small World’ Caesuur Middelburg. Group
‘Essentie’Broere church Bolsward. Cultural Capital Europe Leeuwarden. Group
‘Structure Games’ at Gallery Olivier Nouvellet, Paris. Group
Retrospect. AWP ACEC Apeldoorn. Group

2017;
‘Views’ with Giel Louws, Kunstlokaal 08 Jubbega
‘Summerexhibition’ at LaKaserna, Bad Nieuweschans. Group
‘Concreet’ 100 jaar later, at ARS(Ars Aemula Naturae), Leiden. Group
‘Abstract Wall Paintings’, #DESTIJL100YEARS, ACEC, Apeldoorn. Group
Drawing Collective, Gallery Olivier Nouvellet, Paris.Group
Drawing Collective, Articulate Upstairs. Group Sidney

2016;
Drawing Collective, Abstract Project, Paris. Group
Participation at ‘Elementary Imagery’. Exhibition to celebrate the centenary off The Stijl, SMAHK, Assen,
The Netherlands

2015;
‘Suchness/Sosein’, international group-exhibition at Raumx, londen.
‘We insist, On insiste’. Biennale international non objective art. Pont de Claix. France.
‘Show Your Colors’, international group-exhibition at SMAHK Assen, the Netherlands.
‘Lointain’ with Hans Goudsblom at le Hang Art Gallery, Grenoble, France.

I also exhibited
‘Ellipse’, at A3 Gallery , International group-exhibition in Moskow.
‘Crossing Lines’ Solo-exhibition at Clinton Centre, Enniskillen Northern Ireland.
‘Nachtijall ick hör dir trapsen’ – Vice Versa 3, Kurt Im Hirsch, Berlin.
‘What I like about you’ Parallel Art Space, New York.
‘They’, Sainte Marie d’Alloix, France.
‘SoSS” in the Art Center, Rapla, Estonia.
Participation at ‘Position fluide’ ParisCONCRET , Paris. Group

Solo-exhibition at BBK Gallery, Oldenburg, Germany.

Artist Residencys;
2010/2011 Cló Ceardlann in Donegal, Ireland
2012/2014 Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Monaghan Ireland
2014/2021 Heinrich Boll Foundation, Achill island, Ireland
2016, The Booth, Scalloway, the Shetlands
2017/2023 Cill Rialaig Ireland.
2018: Printed Matter residency Skaftfell Iceland
2019 Artsland Residency Northern Ireland
2022 Residency at Tjornuvik in the Faroe Islands

2013/2014 Curator of ‘Manic episode 4, Maniac visits Groningen’. At TAS Groningen,
2016 Curator of ‘Miniscules’ at Gallery Badweg 3 Bolsward,
2017/2020 Curator of ‘Geen Titel/No Title’ with Rudy lanjouw at Ruimte P 60 Assen
2018 Curator of ‘Boek wat Kunst’ at WKB18 ARTisBOOK Groningen
2021 Curator of the Drawingbox exhibition at Studio Wilma Vissers
2022 Expoost at Studio Wilma Vissers
2023 Curator at the Portiersloge/Gatekeeperslodge Groningen


2013Work in collection: Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Ireland
2014 My artworks have been accepted in to the viewingprogram of the Drawing Centre in New York
2018 Gerbrandy Foundation: Travel Grant Iceland
2019 Lough Erne Library Artsland Northern Ireland
2021 Steunfonds Kunstraad Groningen Drawingbox traveling exhibition
2021/2022Werkbijdrage Pictoright
2024 Solo exhibition Limerick Museum Gallery
2024 “Le Pli” Abstract Project, Group exhibition Paris