The public opening will take place at Galerie Ron Mandos on Saturday, November 23rd, from 3:00 – 6:00 PM. https://ronmandos.nl/exhibition/renie-spoelstra-through-the-clouds/
As we close out our 25th anniversary year, we invite you to join us for three exhibitions that highlight artists who have been part of our gallery’s journey from the very beginning. These artists, all based in Rotterdam—where Ron Mandos opened his gallery 25 years ago—each bring a unique vision to the theme of landscape in distinct styles and media. Together, their works explore nature, technology, and memory, and more—celebrating the creative spirit that has defined our gallery since its opening. See Ron Mandos Gallery Amsterdam for the walktrough of the exhibition!
Through the Clouds, Renie Spoelstra
For 25 years, I have been making charcoal drawings of landscapes. These years have been filled with walks and film shoots, from the lowlands of the Netherlands to the highlands of Peru. The filmed landscape is the starting point of my work. I consciously search for the right locations, often inspired by films, Netflix series or a phrase from a song that touches me. My search focuses on the soul of the landscape as I wander under grey skies. Sometimes the clouds break open and I catch a glimpse of the sun, the landscape or the starry sky. These moments of ‘through the clouds’ are magical; they symbolize the eternal shift of time and remind me of the existential questions of life itself.
Occasionally, you are captured by a lucid moment of awareness, where both beauty and loss come together, and everything finds its place in the bigger picture. It is this experience that I hope to evoke with my drawings. The elusiveness and chaos of charcoal reflect the mystery and fleetingness of these moments. After a search of adding and taking away, my creations become fixed: a layered chaos, caught in the eternally still moment that holds everything, restless and treacherous. Is it darkness or light?
I am drawn to elements in nature that are difficult to capture: shadows, reflections, fog, the threat of a weather change, the movement of waves or flowing water. These aspects are linked to our ambient moods and the cycle of the seasons. They remind us of the passage of time and our place in life and history. By drawing these elements, I create a window: what we see is just an illusion of nature, a hopeless attempt to capture something that eludes us. After all, a reflected image disappears as soon as something ripples the surface of the water, shadows are constantly changing due to light, and clouds shift or dissolve.
In the past 13 years, I have experienced two major losses, those of my mother and sister. These losses have heightened my awareness of the unity of all things. Walking and drawing help me to understand life better: it makes it more beautiful, but also less painful. It is a way to process my experiences and emotions, while capturing the beauty and fragility of our existence.