“Lost souls make strong spirits”

See the exhibition room of Galeria Isolina Arbulu
Impressing exhibition of Nanon Morsink’s textil art sculptures and paintings at Galería Isolina Arbulu, Marbella

The first time I saw works by Nanon Morsink was when I was visiting the Art Walk Cómpeta some years ago. Seeing the work the first time I knew at once that I had met a very special talented artist. The happier I am now for the chance to visit the impressing exhibition of Nanon Morsink’s textil art sculptures and paintings at Galería Isolina Arbulu. Great pleasure to connect again with Nanon who’s way I have been following since.

Two figures symbolize several ways to connect with each other. Their arms are extra long to be able to get in touch with each other. They are in touch, but how? How easy this way of connecting can be changed and create another situation we all experience now in Corona times. Nanon Morsink, the creator of this couple and this exquisite exhibition demonstrates how easy connecting can be turned into separation. Still facing each other the long arms are used for embracing themselves. They become kind of a safety shield around each figure – Nanon demonstrates with this perfect symbolic arrangement what we experience just happening in our times.

Lost souls make strong spirits is the title of this exhibition in the beautiful GALERIA ISOLINA ARBULU who presents a most impressive choice of works by Dutch artist NANON MORSINK.

“My work is all about connection” explains the artist. She calls herself a multimedia artist, working with different materials. For this exhibition Isolina Arbulu choose carefully textil works from most different material.

The viewer will see a lot of lost souls mirrored in the figures that are partly painted on printed fabric or knitted with good Dutch wool, which traditionally was used for workers socks to wear in the wooden shoes. Other figures are knitted from ropes fishermen used for their nets and from plastic, found in the sea.

I don’t dare to imagine how Nanon hands may have felt and looked, knitting these very hard, rough and dirty materials and how many many hours she invests to create this impressive body of work! But Nanon laughs at this question, I just love to do this , she says, and I am always so curious to see how my creation will look.

There are not only knitted a lot of hours into these objects but also a lot of symbolic thoughts. The names of the works tell about it.

See this figures underneath. The horns are a sign of power and and are ready to fight but the bell is typically for animals to be found and be directed back to the crowd.

A sculpture from Nanon Morsink from used fisher materials with horns and bell

Humor plays besides all the serious background of the works a large role as well in the art work of Nanon Morsink. Very beautifully it is found in this installation – there is even a book about it! You can walk into the installation and you will have a lot of smiles discovering the most funny details. Each pair has a name of the personality featured – there is even one which only has one leg! “I had a neighbor with one leg”, says Nanon. Now you can meet him here 🙂

As a painter I am always most impressed by “paintings”. There is a series of muted women and another one with men portraits called “In my head”. Both genders portrayed in their speechlessness, but mute for very different reasons. The women’s portraits Nanon painted on printed fabric and finally embroidered them.

The series of men portraits painted on thin paper makes us wonder how this could be managed: all the portraits of the men ( I think there are 16) on thin paper are embroidered as well. What a fine work to embroider portraits painted on such fine paper!

Man portrait textil art by Nanon Morsink
In my head

The Galería Isolina Arbulu is in Marbella and offers visiting times in the mornings and private viewings in the afternoons. Find all the information on the galleries website here. The exhibition will run till 21.05.2021 – fingers crossed that we can visit all this time! Don’t miss it! Its worth a visit.

Its worth to visit the website as you will find excellent viewing rooms, featuring past exhibitions, a pleasure to see.

You also find here my post about past exhibitions, have a look:
Fascination of Glas Objects
Moving works and a moving title
Isolina Arbulu Gallery

Visit my website here.

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Yours, Gerrit Oppelland-Hampel

Gerrit Oppelland-Hampel in front of her green painting in a matching shirt

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