Bauke Driessens (°2002) tells the story of holding on and letting go, constructing and deconstructing. It emphasizes the fear of letting go and invites the viewer to experience this state of mind. It reveals that things don't need to be held onto indefinitely and that true perception requires attention. What escapes their gaze remains unseen.

ARCHIVING

The concept of archiving arises within a specific setting or feeling, where she aims to capture a particular moment. This led her to broaden the framework of her canvases, simulating archive boxes in which the objects used to create the image can be stored. This challenges the traditional notion of a painting hanging on the wall. The dimensions of the works are often connected to her physical presence.

By using her grandmother's curtains as the carrier, she keeps costs low and imbues the carrier with a new sense of value and domesticity. The curtains carry their own story and history, with stains and wear that set them apart from a standard canvas. On these carriers, she applies subtle paintings that match the color tone of the carrier itself. These paintings are barely perceptible, and only the viewer who takes the time discovers the complete work.

Archiving in art is not just about physically preserving artworks but also documenting processes, thoughts, and concepts. Capturing a moment, a specific setting, goes hand in hand with installing the canvases and painting the shadows in situ. In this way, she captures a memory of the installed moment, which remains on the canvases. The interactions between the canvases themselves are also captured and archived.

Shadows, which emerge during the stretching of the canvases, play a significant role in her work. Shadows testify to the presence of an object in relation to a light source. By removing or capturing parts of these shadows, a play of absence and presence is created, where physical objects are held.

STILL LIFE

Within her theme, she incorporates an element of domesticity by using ceramics in her installations. Here, she creates classical still lifes found in everyday environments. This led to the question: How can she deconstruct the classical concept of a still life? In traditional still lifes, they start with a three-dimensional object that is then translated into a two-dimensional image, aiming to recreate it as realistically as possible in 3D. This diminishes the tangibility of the still life. She decided to do the opposite: starting with a two-dimensional drawing and transforming it into a tangible, three-dimensional object. By placing a light source opposite this still life, a shadow is created, which she then turns back into a two-dimensional work. The shadow plays an essential role in creating the illusion of a three-dimensional artwork. She explores classical subjects such as still life and gives them various forms.

Archiving in her work is not only crucial for preserving physical objects but also for capturing her artistic process. It provides the opportunity to look back, reflect, and gain new insights. By integrating archiving as an integral part of her artistic practice, she bridges the past, present, and future. This grants her work historical and contextual value. She wants viewers to take the time to experience her work and discover its true quality. Her goal is to actively engage them in the experience and transform their perspective on painting.