‘HET LEVEN IS VOOR EEN GROOT DEEL EEN KWESTIE VAN VORMGEVEN’
‘LIFE, FOR THE MOST PART, IS TO BE DESIGNED AND SHAPED BY ONE’S SELF’
This is the motto of artist Jennifer Hoes, born and raised in the Netherlands. A country known for ‘Dutch design’, a style characterized as minimalist, experimental, innovative, quirky, humorous and powerful. All of this can be said as well about Jennifer’s work, even though she prefers the term ‘applied arts’ because she feels that the word ‘design’ is too slick and too volatile.
Jennifer studied at Design Lab at Gerrit Rietveld Academy (Amsterdam). Ever since she started her professional career as a designer and artist, in 2003, she had had no regard for the boundaries between design, art and life itself. This was something people had to get used to. Magazines would not feature her work. (Quote: ‘We don’t know if we should publish your work in the design or art section.’) Nowadays the crossover between design and art is a leitmotiv in Dutch design. So it seems Jennifer is a step ahead, albeit not deliberately: her ideas arise naturally out of curiosity and a love for the old and new techniques, morals and habits.
Take for example her medal named IANVS SEMPER VNDIQVE. The brand new technique of rapid manufacturing was used to visualize the ancient story of the mythological figure of Janus. Not any old Janus – Jennifer breaks the tradition by giving the medal five faces instead of two, using her own face, and showing five different facial expressions. This cheekiness typifies Jennifer’s work and is meant to raise questions about our old and new society and our personal motives and behaviours. The medals were 3D printed directly in metal, a first in numismatics.
Jennifer does not distinguish between her life and her work. Her inspiration comes from daily events, big and small. She uses her own body as a reference and a tool. It often appears in her work, although never as the main subject.
Jennifer is not bound to certain materials or to limited expressions of her work. The ideas always come first. Her concepts often translate into contemporary medals and jewellery, or, given the chance, space filling installations. Size wise these are the two extremes in the arts spectrum. This is no coincidence, since Jennifer wants the spectator to really experience her work by being able to physically relate to it. This is made possible by holding her work in ones hand, wearing it, or standing in de centre of it.
CURRICULUM VITAE – SHORT
JENNIFER HOES
Noordwijk (TheNetherlands), 1973
RELEVANT EDUCATION
Industrial Design, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam: 1999-2003
Precision metal engineering, MTS Hendrick de Keyser School, Amsterdam: 1989-1993
Jewellerydesign at Sylvia Blickman, Kreater, Haarlem: 1987-1993
FIELDS OFEXPERTISE
Design: since 2002
Art: since 2002
Curating: since 2005
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
FIDEM, International Art Medal Federation: since2010
Haarlems Sieraad Collectief, Contemporary Jewellery Collective: since 2007
Kunstenaarsvereniging De Vishal, Contemporary Art Association: since 2003
PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA
Publication Province Noord-Holland, Hierna (nog)maals, hereafter again: 2014
De Beeldenaar, Klimaatpenning, Climatemedal, article by Jim van der MeerMohr: 2013
Marryingme, documentary by Chloe White: 2012
Flash Medailles 2-49, Janus met vijf gezichten, Janus with five faces, article by Karel Soudijn: 2012
De Beeldenaar 3, Jennifer Hoes, article by Henk van der Vorst: 2012
De Beeldenaar 1, Gedaantes van Janus, Forms of Janus, article by Karel Soudijn: 2012
De Beeldenaar, IANVS SEMPER VNDIQVE MMXI, VPK year medal, article by Eric van Straaten: 2011
CoinWorld, MCA and The Medal, articles by Donald Scarinci: 2010
The Compendium Finale of Contemporary Jewellers, Darling Publications, Andy Lim: 2008
GALLERIES
Majke Hüsstege, Den Bosch
Kunstzaal van Heijningen, Den Haag
Gild Sieraden, Amsterdam
Metis, Amsterdam
Zigt Sieraden, Rotterdam
EXHIBITIONS – SELECTION
GEKETEND AAN HET LEVEN, chained to life/Reinier van Arkel, psychiatric healt institution, Den Bosch: 2016
WAANZINNIGE SIER, crazy pretties/MEET.S artspace, Den Bosch: 2016
THE REBELLIOUS MUSE/Feminist Art Fest, Kunst Westart space, Amsterdam: 2016
THE GIRL NEXTDOOR/Province house Noord-Holland, Haarlem: 2016
DONKERE DAGEN VOOR KERST, dark days before Christmas/37PK artspace, Haarlem: 2015
HAARLEMS SIERAAD COLLECTIEF, contemporary jewellery collective/De Kolk art centre, Spaarndam: 2015
RIJKSMUSEUM ARCHITECTURE/ABC architecture centre, Haarlem: 2014
HIERNA (NOG)MAALS, hereafter again/Province house Noord-Holland, Haarlem: 2014
MAPPING THE UNIVERSE/De Vishal art space, Haarlem: 2014
ER WAS EENS, once upon a time/De Meerse cultural centre, Hoofddorp: 2013
CICB 2013/The 8th Cheongju International Craft Competition, Korea: 2013
SLEUTELS TOT BEELDHOUWKUNST, keys to sculptural art/Museum ‘t Oude Slot, Veldhoven: 2012
CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERY/Kadmium cultural centre, Delft: 2012
VERLICHT, enlightened/De Vishal art space, Haarlem: 2012
DUTCH DESIGN WEEK/Gallery Cecile van Eeden and cityhall, Eindhoven: 2012
PENNINGEN MANIFESTATIE, medals manifestation/VPK, Van Heijningen gallery, Den Haag: 2011
BOEGBEELD, figurehead/Kunstkamer artspace, municipality Haarlem: 2011
SIERAAD, jewel/HSC, Kloostergangen, cityhall Haarlem: 2011
FIDEM CONGRES XXXI, XXXII, XXXXIII, XXXIIII: since2010
HET BREIN, the mind/Het Dolhuys museum of the mind, Haarlem: 2010
HAARLEMS SIERAAD COLLECTIEF/Castellum Aquae arts pace, Bloemendaal: 2009
NATUURLIJK GEDRAGEN, naturally worn/HSC, Teylers Museum, Haarlem: 2008