Isa van Lier

Isa van Lier (1996) creates soft, playful ceramic figures that seem to come from a dream world, yet remain connected to reality. She describes her installations as inviting you to step into ‘… a world that is a combination of the abundance and speed of a supermarket in 2020, and the ancient wisdom found in Japanese Zen rock gardens.’

Van Lier’s works are often placed in urban gardens and rural villages. For example, Len Tempel – a five-meter-tall egg-shaped temple filled with ceramic pieces – was on view in Oranjewoud. She explores the boundary between form and formlessness. In the temple Lumina, you might recognise facial expressions in the beings she creates, but it is their movement and apparent liveliness that take center stage. This exhibition offers a glimpse into the artist’s inner world, a shell in which you are invited to quietly disappear.

Image: Isa van Lier, We Trust You, 2022 | © photo: Tommy Smits