Artist Statement
The central question I pose in my artistic practice is: What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to live and die, to feel and to be present in this world and in our body? I research different ways of revealing humanity itself. As an artist I strive to intertwine concept and sensual experience; to connect abstract ideas and fundamental questions to the temporal sensory experience of the audience. The body plays a central role in this exploration, being both a source of our experiences and a tool for interpreting and understanding them. In my artworks the body (or parts of it) is the interpreter of abstract ideas.
My artistic process is phenomenologic in nature and always starts with comprehending my personal life experience. It is not only about the inner, subjective life, but also about the interaction and transmission of meanings and feelings between people. I place my personal experience in the register of fundamental questions and meta-narratives about life and death.
The theoretical framework for my art is the phenomenological heritage of Maurice Merleau-Ponty. According to the phenomenological approach, the body is the first starting point for exploring the world and being within it. All human experiences, including our thoughts, knowledge, memories and emotions, are bounded with the physical body. That is why my work often enters into a direct relationship with the body of the viewer and encompasses his sensory experience. His body becomes a participant, through a certain position in space, sometimes through smell or tactile perception. Thus, every artwork I create is a manifestation of this fundamental concept.
To get an idea clear, I approach the creative process as a kind of game, with a logical structure, with specific rules that help guide my creative process. There is often a ritual element, with repetitions and restrictions. I don’t limit myself to one medium. I choose the medium and/or material precisely and it is inextricably linked to the content and meaning of the work. I experiment with different spatial setups to convey the meaning and existential experience. I create carefully composed, concentrated images that are visually engaging.
I work with the temporality aspect and focus on the dramatic structure of my artworks, after all, corporeal and human experience takes place in time and space. I often follow events in time, which I record on camera. I capture repetitive images that make time tangible in the small nuances and differences. Many of my works depict the process of degradation, deformation or destruction of the body, referring to the fragile, transient and vulnerable nature of life.
My art does not provide absolute answers to fundamental questions. It is an invitation to reflect on the deeper layers of being human.
Biography
Roos van Geffen (Nijmegen 1975) is a multimedia artist, working with video, photography and installation. She lives and works in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and studied scenography at the Academy of Arts in Tilburg and at the Maastricht Institute of Arts.
After her graduation she created autonomous performances and worked as a scenographer and director. She created performances in public spaces and at art festivals such as The Summer of Antwerp (BE), Oerol (NL), Festival Veo in Valencia( ES) and toured internationally. From performative works, her art evolved into installation, video works and photography, although performative and phenomenological elements are still present in her art practice.
Her work was display at Palazzo Barolo, Turin, (IT) Buitenplaats Doornburgh, Maarssen (NL). Museum Jan Cunen in Oss (NL), at The Human Impacts Centre in New York (US) at Fotodok in Utrecht (NL), at Stedelijk Museum Schiedam (NL), at The Art Pavillion and Battersea Arts Center in London (VK) among others.
In 2020 Roos van Geffen had the critically acclaimed retrospective called Eat Love Die in Museum Tot Zover in Amsterdam (NL). She has received many grants, often from Mondriaan Fund and The Cultuurfund, Besides Roos van Geffen teaches at various art academies and supervises students.