MARIANNE KEMP
MARIANNE KEMP
ESSENTIALLY UNBOUND
20 SEPTEMBER —
03 NOVEMBER 2024
MAYA FRODEMAN GALLERY
ESSENTIALLY UNBOUND
Essentially Unbound, Marianne Kemp’s second solo exhibition with Maya Frodeman Gallery, finds the artist further exploring the technical intricacies of her unique chosen craft: woven horsehair. Using horsehair with varying combinations of other materials like raw plant fibers, and, most recently Korean Hanji paper and gold lurex, Kemp works with meticulous precision to create otherworldly forms that seem to organically morph, yet remain abstracted and enigmatic.
"I am a weaver because I am using a loom, and an artist, because what I dowiththeloomsystem."
The horsehair, the warp and the loom are the three fundamental elements of her practice, the starting points, and the primary and necessary tools. In weaving, a warp is a set of long, lengthwise fibers that run vertically
up and down a textile, stretched in place on a loom before the weaving process begins; the weft is what is woven into the warp to create textiles, and where Kemp’s creativity takes flight. “I am a weaver because I am using a loom, and an artist, because what I do with the loom system,” Kemp says.
Kemp uses both traditional and nonconventional weaving techniques to create her three-dimensional environments through her unique practice of molding, knotting, curling and looping the sculptural horsehair fibers. Through properties unique to horsehair and other, largely organic materials, her woven works can appear shiny and smooth, organic and wild, or flexible and stiff. “Horsehair has its own characteristics. And for 24 years, I have wanted to show it in a different way. It keeps surprising me,” Kemp says. Her practice is very much grounded in
her experimentation with technique. Works in EssentiallyUnbound, such as Dew (2024) and Late and Soon (2024), are united by Kemp’s exuberant use of color. This has brought joy and lightness into her studio practice—a practice that can often feel weighed down by the bounds of time. Kemp’s chosen materials and tools are profoundly time-consuming. The hours upon days upon weeks that go into her works beget that every decision Kemp makes- creative or technical- is made decisively.
The visual weightlessness of this body of work, especially in the face of the time and planning that goes into each piece, also lends to the exhibitions’ title. Kemp uses the warp quite minimally in many of these works.
Because of this, these works are literally less bound, and more sculptural. The result is most often otherworldly forms, as with Electric Move (2022) and BreakingtheSilence (2023). Kemp’s technique anchors her materials, and with increasing experimentation, the works
feel less and less bound by the textile art tradition and read more as innovative and cross-disciplinary sculpture.
“Horsehair has its own characteristics.Andfor24years,Ihavewanted toshowitinadifferentway.Itkeeps surprisingme.”
When creating her works, Kemp looks inward for inspiration. As she sits in her studio, her brain twinkles with possibilities. “Behind my loom, I'm in this bubble, and the ideas are just coming. I can pluck them from the air,” she marvels. Kemp’s ideas grow and morph as she spends hours upon hours behind her looms. Her intimate knowledge of and skill in weaving enables and fuels this creative process. Kemp’s work is less about weaving as a craft and more about the process and effect of creating texture and volume, zones of interest that invite the viewer in. Kemp’s works are truly a viewing experience, and, at first, an encounter with the alien. From afar,
they can resemble paintings, tapestries, or alien structures, but as the viewer steps closer, the works become an intricate, active surface. The more experimental and unconventional Kemp’s work becomes, the more technical it is. When a new idea bobs to the surface of Kemp’s mind, it follows that then each centimeter must be study and planned, and every rhythm must be calculated to bring that idea to life. Her brain is equal parts artist and engineer. Kemp’s ability and expertise enables her creativity, just as her creativity fuels her technical practice.
“Behindmyloom,I'minthisbubble, andtheideasarejustcoming.Ican pluckthemfromtheair.”
Marianne Kemp was born in Woerden, and began sewing at the age of 13. Kemp’s early interest in textiles led her to study art at The Royal Academy of Art and Design in The Hague before moving to London to pursue her Master of Arts from the Chelsea College
of Art and Design, London. Upon completion of her Master’s, Kemp decided to stay in London and started working from Cockpit Arts Studios in Central London. In 2003 she returned to the Netherlands. In her studio she works with four different looms, each capable of different weaving possibilities. Kemp’s work has been exhibited in the United States, the United Kingdom, and across Europe, as well as in Seoul, South Korea. Her work has appeared in numerous publications in her native Netherlands and abroad, including magazines World of Interiors and Metiér, and books Transmaterial by Blaine Brownell and Contemporary Textiles by Drusilla Cole. Kemp lives and works in Zutphen, the Netherlands.
Left: Kemp's studio
Center: The warp on Kemp's loom
Right: Kemp threading the warp
59 x 78 3/4 x 1 5/8 inches
DEW, 2024
Horsehair, cotton & pins
SUNNY SPELLS, 2024
98 3/8 x 78 3/4 x 2 inches
Horsehair, cotton & pins
LATE AND SOON, 2024
39 3/8 x 51 1/8 x 4 inches
Horsehair, cotton, canvas & acrylic paint
23 5/8 x 9 7/8 x 3 1/8 inches
ELECTRIC MOVE, 2022
Horsehair, cotton & pins
39 3/8 x 19 3/4 x 1 inches
WANDERING, 2024
Waxed cotton & paper yarn
27 1/2 x 27 1/2 x 3/4 inches
ARCH, 2017
Horsehair, cotton & pins
BLISSFUL DRIFT,
70 7/8 x 3 inches (each piece)
2006
Horsehair, cotton & glass beads
VIEW, 2024
36 1/4 x 18 1/8 inches
CITY
Linen, cotton & paper yarn
QUIET EXPLORER, 2024
18 1/8 x 19 3/4 inches
Linen, cotton & paper yarn
MOUNTAIN,
2021
37 3/8 x 37 3/8 x 1 1/8 inches
Horsehair, cotton, linen & wood
37 1/2 x 37 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches
RIVER, 2022
Horsehair, cotton & wood
37 3/8 x 37 3/8 x 1 1/8 inches
COSMIC, 2021
Horsehair, cotton, linen & wood
CLARITY #2, 2023
Horsehair, cotton & linen
34 1/2 x 56 1/4 x XX inches
Waxed cotton & horsehair
29 x 22 inches
SIGNAUX, 2017
BREAKING THE SILENCE, 2023
Horsehair, cotton & pins
19 x 19 inches
LOW RISING, 2024
27 1/2 x 39 3/8 x 4 inches
Horsehair & cotton on velvet paper
13 x 19 3/4 inches
NIGHT WALKER, 2024
Horsehair & cotton
CONSTELLATION, 2024
14 1/8 x 20 1/2 inches
Horsehair & cotton
15 3/8 x 21 1/4 inches
LORIKEET, 2022
Horsehair & cotton
CROWN OF LIGHT, 2022
Horsehair & cotton
12 x 13 1/2 inches
FOREST FLOOR, 2022
15 3/4 x 19 3/4 inches
Horsehair, cotton, linen, & gold lurex thread
20 x 24 1/2 inches
#1RCK, 2022
Linen, cotton, wire & rough plantfibre
20 x 24 1/2 inches
#2RCK, 2022
Linen, cotton, wire & rough plantfibre
MARIANNE KEMP
Dutch artist, born in Woerden, the Netherlands in 1976
Lives and works in Zutphen, the Netherlands
EDUCATION
1999 – 2000 MA, Design for the Environment, Textile Design, Chelsea College of Art and Design, London UK
1995 – 1999 BA, Textile Design, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL
1997 Exchange, Somerset School of Art and Technology, Taunton, UK
1992 – 1995 MBO, Presentation Castellum, Alphen aan den Rijn, NL
Seoul, South Korea
2022 'Tactile Stories' Tayloe Piggott Gallery, Jackson Hole WY USA
2014 Solo. 'Geknoopt, gekruld, gesteven en verward', Het Leids Wevershuisje, Leiden, NL
2011 Het Glazen Huis, Amstelpark, Amsterdam, NL
2009 FW:BK galerie, Amsterdam, NL
2006 Solo exhibition, Antigravite, Paris, France
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 Essentially Unbound, Maya Frodeman Gallery
(formerly Tayloe Piggott Gallery), Jackson Hole, USA
'La neige Blanche', Nuien & Metaphorseoul,
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Discourse: art across generations and continents' Browngrotta, Wilton, USA
Presentation at Zanat, Salone del Mobile Milano, Italy
2023 It happened One Night, Tayloe Piggott Gallery, Jackson Hole, USA
“Des Cheveux et des Poils, Musée des Arts
Décoratifs, Paris, France
'Re imagined', FJ Hakimian, East Hampton, USA
Brons, verf en paardenhaar' Studio/galerie Ilse
Oelbers, Harlinge, NL
'Hoe = het nu' ACEC, Apeldoorn, NL
'Craft as Art' Galeria F&deO, Madrid, Spain
IJkunst Collectief Amsterdam, NL
2022 Browngrotta Arts, Wilton, USA
Art[s] Simone Jansen, Noordwijk, NL
2021 IJKunst Collectief #5, Nieuw Dakota, Amsterdam, NL
2020 'Volume 50: Chronicling Fiber Art for Three Decades' Browngrotta Arts, USA
2019 ‘Identity + Intersection’ Browngrotta Arts, USA
‘Textiles’ Messums Wiltshire, Tisbury Wiltshire, UK
'Open Stal', art event, Oldeberkoop, NL
2018 ‘Blue/Green: color/context/code’, Browngrotta
Arts, Wilton, USA
‘Well Worn’, Cavalli Gallery, Somerset West,
South Africa
2017 LottoZero galery, Prato, IT
’Tegendraads’ Does Interieurs, Laren, NL
‘Historisch vervlochten met MIJ’, Museum
IJsselstein, Jsselstein, NL
Still Crazy After All These Years… 30 years in art’, Browngrotta Arts, USA
Salone del Mobile, Palazzo Francesco Turati, Masterly Milano, Italy
2016 ‘Wild Things’, curated by L. Edelkoort & P. Fimmano, Texture museum, Kortijk, Belgium
C-Lab, KunstWest Expo, Amsterdam, NL
'Klifhanger Festival', Texel, NL
'KunstOer' Winterswijk, NL
2015 ‘Influence and Evolution: Fiber Sculpture then and now', Browngrotta Arts, Wilton, USA
2013 Meesterlijk, Amsterdam, NL
Galerie Help u Zelve, Winterswijk, NL
2012 Toonkamer, Utrecht, NL
2011 Het Glazen Huis, Amstelhuis, Amsterdam, NL
‘Fairy Tale'. Dutch Design Hotel, Amsterdam, NL
2010 Kleur! Designhuis. Eindhoven, NL
'10 jaar Via Milano', Oude kerk, Amsterdam, NL
‘North meets South', Konvex Bern, Switzerland
‘Kleur!’, Designhuis, Eindhoven, NL
Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milaan, Italy
Textiel Festival, Leiden, NL
2009 ‘99% stoer', Dutch Design Hotel Artemis, Amsterdam, NL
Salone Internazionale del Mobile, Milan Italy
The Key, Dutch pioneers, Berlijn, NL
Designfair Object, Rotterdam, NL
2008 Galerie De andere Kant, Zutphen, NL
2007 Ministery of Verkeer en Waterstaat, Den Haag, NL
Galerie Matiz, The Hague, NL
2006 Du-AG project space. München, Germany
2005 Frozen Fountain, Amsterdam, NL
Stroud Textiles, Biennale, UK
2003 House & Garden show, London, UK
‘Making Tracks', Rope Store Studio, Nailsworth, UK
2002 Chelsea Crafts Fair. London UK.
‘Westway Exhibition', Little Venice, London, UK
1999 Galerie Amsteltuin, Amstelveen, NL
‘Debuut' Pulchri Studio, The Hague, NL
LECTURES
2013 Weefnetwerk Contactdag, Nijkerk, NL
2011 Weefkring ‘t Heem, Haarlem, NL
2008 Presentation - 100% Design Tokyo, Created in Holland, Japan
2007 FLWK, Den Haag, NL
2006 HFBK, Hamburg, Germany (lecture and tutorials)
PUBLIC COMMISSIONS
2024 Commission art piece for Imperial Riding school
Vienna, Austria
2018 Commission weaving for Jessica Brook Design, UK
Project weaving art pieces for Hyatt Regency Hotel, Chantilly, France
Fashion project, Charlotte Bakkenes.
2016 Commission Designing and weaving five wall panels, Staffan Tollgard Design Group, London
2011 Commission weaving items for fashion Designer, Steffie Christiaens, Paris, France
2010 Workshop and exhibition, Textiel Festival, Leiden, NL
2009 Made in Mongolia – project, stay for 4 weeks in Mongolia.
Design tassels in collaboration with I. Simonis
2004 Commission 3 wall panels, Harmer, London, UK
2003 Commission 3 soundproof wall panels for Centurion Brussels, BE, Decibell Designs. London, UK
1999 9 window panels, Boxtel
1997 Intensive Group Project; collaboration project with other European art academies. Under supervision of Sacho Hesslein, Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Germany
PUBLICATIONS
2024 VAV magasinet N3/2024, SE | Fiber Art Now, volume 13, Issue 4.
Elle Decor Korea, The architects Book Edition.
2023 TXP Spring | Weven, jaargang 34. nr 3
2020 TXP 252, jaargang 64, Summer
2019 Seasons, No.3
2018 Métier, no.3 Autumn
2017 No Serial Number Issue 9, Summer
2015 Mobilia, Dec.
2014 Cover. Autumn
2013 Hoefslag Okt. | jopener Nr.3 | Residence Nr.1 |
kM magazine Nr.84
2012 More than classic, Nr.5
2011 Textiel Plus, Nr.215 | Echo 14 Nov. | Jopener
January
2010 FX. June 2010 | Designer magazine, Haaretz newspaper, IS
Percentrumwonen.nl. Woonsafari
2009 Miljonair Wonen. Edition 2010. Pg 131/233
Elsevier Thema Interieur. Oktober pg. 14
Trendease International, Designer Spotlight.
2008 Contemporary Textiles (book). Drusilla Cole
Design.nl. ‘Horsing around in Tokyo. Paul van
Horn
Eigen Huis & interieur. Nr. 4 april pg. 160
MARK. April / May
Het Parool. PS wonen. Vrijdag 2 mei
Vormberichten BNO. 06/08 pg. 26
2007 Textiel Plus. Nr. 20
Hapinnez. Nr 3, pag. 17
Textiel Plus. Nr 200. zomer 2007, pag. 20
Weven. Nr 2 Mei, pg 4-5
A10. Nr 15 May / jun 2007, pag. 57
Selvedge magazine. Nr 15, pag. 32
Elegance magazine. Maart 2007
2006 Feature article - Villa d'Arte magazine. Jan/Feb no.6 pg 12/15
2005 Publication - DAX magazine. Nov/Dec 5 pg 66/67
Residence magazine. Feb.pg.48
Buitenleven magazine. Mei/Juni.pg.39
2002 Angel magazine. Oct.pg. 36/37
‘Texture message' idFX magazine. Aug
2001 ‘YOU' magazine The Mail on Sunday 4th Nov
‘Hairstyle' World of Interiors. Nov
1999 FRAME magazine. Jan. no.6 p.62/69
1998 ITEMS magazine. Damast Table linen.
BOOKS
2010 Transmaterial, Blaine Brownell. Princeton
Architectural Press New York
2008 Contemporary Textiles. Drusilla Cole. Laurence
King Publishing Londen
1998 “Met Wilhelmina aan tafel”, de Roode. pg 47-49
GRANTS, AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
2007 Documentation sub. STROOM Centre of visual Arts.
2006 Nomination - Lehi.ke 1st International Contemporary Ceramics Competition, Spain. 3
Objects, collaboration with Inge Simonis
2005 Exhibition sub. / Individual sub. STROOM
1999 VSB-grant for studying MA in London, UK
1998 1st place - ‘Millenium Table Damask' Textiel museum. Tilburg (Damask tableset.)
PEDEGOGY
2008 Creative selling, Mei Marketing, Amsterdam, NL
Negotiating voor Designers, BNO Amsterdam, NL
2006 ‘Acquireren voor de lol' and ‘ Kunst en formuleren', Kunstenaars & Co. Amsterdam, NL
2002 - 2003 DPP, Developing Professional Practise Programme, Business & Marketing
Cockpit Arts Studios, London, UK
