Louwrien Wijers

The solo exhibition We Live in Language gives an overview of the oeuvre of Louwrien Wijers (1941); it includes works that have never been shown before. When awarding her the GERRIT BENNER Prize, the jury said: ‘Wijers’ work is calm and thoughtful, and forms a powerful counterbalance to today’s fast-paced visual culture.’

Wijers is a visual artist and writer, but considers herself a sculptor above all. In her work, she investigates the interconnections between art, science, spirituality, and economics. Her project Art meets Science and Spirituality in a Changing Economy (1990), which emerged from a conversation between Beuys and the Dalai Lama in 1982, is now being shown in its entirety for the first time. In the exhibition, visitors step into Wijers’s “mental sculptures,” which consist of language and dialogue. ‘We live in language,’ says Wijers. By carefully weighing words, listening attentively, and arriving at mutual understanding, we shape the world and the future through language.

Cover image: Louwrien Wijers receives the GERRIT BENNER Prize 2025 | photo: Ruben van Vliet