Wencke Nilsson is a multidisciplinary artist working across digital, print, video, and textiles. She graduated from the art academy in Rotterdam (Willem de Kooning academy) in 2014, where she studied Lifestyle Transformation Design, which, in short, is about concept development, branding, and trend forecasting. While studying Wencke focused her attention on image making; creating visual stories applying on trends. After her studies, instead of working commercially she focused on her work as an artist, deepening her interest for ‘the sublime’.
Wencke has been studying ‘the sublime’ for a long time, analysing how this concept lives in current society with technological changes. She investigates how through these changes, something that is outside of humans can now also be created by humans. Wencke states; “I love doing trend research, to see where the need and interest of humans moves to, and to translate this to futuristic images which tell a story of their own. My minor critical studies, which was about philosophy broadened my view on trends, creating storylines from past thinkers into future stories”.
She creates new worlds through manipulations in the image using various analogue and digital operations. Her work arises from many image edits in which coincidences occur, bringing the unexpected together in the frame. Wencke’s artworks reflect her interest in the psyche of modern man, and to what extent upbringing and the past have an influence on the future. She transforms this human aspect into an image of desire.
Behind all of Wencke’s artworks is an extensive amount of research. She buys lots of old books and cuts out imagery to transform on the computer to create textures and shapes. Her scanner is her best friend, and she goes back and forth from different programs such as Illustrator where she creates shapes in Cinema4d, and Photoshop where she edits. Wencke also makes parts of her imagery with paint, crayons, or pencils. “I love that my work comes from different alterations not only from the screen in one program. Some say I make collage type of work. The layering process is really important in my work,” says the artist.
In her more recent work, Wencke looks for new techniques that can accentuate ‘the grand’, where the border between two-dimensional and three-dimensional becomes smaller. Resulting from the impact of COVID-19, she is on a “quest to find new grounds”, and has had the time to rethink her direction. The artist is now focusing on developing her portfolio as a Surface Pattern Designer, and is currently partaking in a course with the hope of finding a studio or selling her own prints through licensing.
Recently, Wencke received a grant which she is using to produce some rugs, tapestries, and blankets. Still in the research phase, she is hoping to shift her focus on developing textiles and learning more about the industry. Recent projects of note also include a new beer can for Dutch Bargain, and a LP artwork for the album Hold the Line by Coco Bryce.
“I find it interesting to stretch the boundaries between analogue and digital. But print is really important for me. The tactility of how things end on paper is just beautiful and I see the importance and need to keep making prints.”
www.wenckenilsson.nl
@wenckenilsson
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