'INVISIBLE NATURE' PRESS RELEASE MATTEAWAN GALLERY, BEACON, NY. 2/13/16 -3/6/16
Matteawan Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition of recent works on paper by Marieken Cochius. The show features three distinct bodies of work: ink and shellac drawings; a large drawing made with water-based mediums, pastel, charcoal, and pencil on paper; and the Cloud series of drawings with graphite and pastel. This is Cochius’ first exhibition at Matteawan Gallery.Marieken Cochius is interested in the tension between what is present and what is sensed, but cannot be touched. She is inspired by the origins of life, where energy is temporarily contained in order for a transformation to occur. Her work refers to the chaos of the natural world, where everything seems to be in flux; yet within this chaos there are systems and networks in place that can be glimpsed if one knows where to look. Accordingly, Cochius creates lines and textures that resemble organic structures, and her drawings change when viewed from different angles or in changing light. The surface and texture of paper and other materials are very important to Cochius. The paper used in her large drawings is manufactured in the Netherlands by a mill that has been in operation since 1622. In her Cloud series miniscule lines are created with feathers instead of brushes.
The most recent works in the exhibition are the ink and shellac drawings on paper. Here one can especially see Cochius’ love of the directness of drawing and the poetry and sensuality of what she calls “the unerasable line”. For this series she explores using liquid and color while working with and against chance. Split-second decisions are necessary to balance the organic movement of the liquid medium with containment. Since all inks behave differently, she chooses each one for its density of color and for the specific way it dries: fading like vapor, or growing like a root system.
According to Cochius, she “strives for a true line,” using both hands to make her drawings. “My left hand is more like an antenna, more searching, while my right hand is more sure.” Ultimately, Cochius’ drawings are variations or extensions of a line of poetry she wrote: “...one strand of terrifying color shivering before you.”
Marieken Cochius is a Dutch-born artist who has lived and worked in New York City since 1987, and in the Hudson Valley since 2013. Her work encompasses drawing, painting, and sculpture. She has exhibited nationally as well as in the Netherlands, Germany, and Japan. Cochius has participated in recent group exhibitions at Sideshow Gallery, Holland Tunnel, and A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY; GCCA, Catskill, NY; Ube Gallery, Berkeley, CA; Space Create, Newburgh, NY; and Kentler International Drawing Center, Brooklyn, NY. She has participated in two residencies at the Vermont Studio Center, Johnson, VT. Cochius’ work is in numerous private collections in the US and Europe. She studied art at the Art Academy St. Joost, Breda, Netherlands.