ABOUT
Named Lieve, meaning "dear, sweet, nice" in Dutch, I question whether these traits ascribed to me are intentional or unconscious, wondering what came first, my name or my qualities. Perhaps the darkness in my work is a response to my ladybug-adorned (ladybug translated to Dutch; lieveheerstbeestje) childhood bedroom. This contrasts with my upbringing in a house with a nuclear cellar, which I used as a studio for several years. The house was surrounded by crows, and during summers, I would spend time sailing in the wild landscape of Zeeland.
The influence of working as an employee at an art foundry is evident in my aluminum sculptures. Additionally, I am deeply inspired by the day-to-day experiences at the foundry, such as the worn-down overalls, the tools, and the materials. I am actively experimenting with these elements and striving to translate them into my own practice, incorporating them into my sculptures.
Together with Dani Andres (Sandberg alumnus) we started our collaborative project ‘’An Ode To the Bronze Foundry’’. We seek knowledge about the foundry's process, its theoretical context, and history through our sculptures. Our collaboration, enriched by our personal cultural differences—I am Dutch, and Dani is Colombian—received a subsidy from Stichting Stokroos in December 2023. Besides the bronze foundry, I explore themes surrounding darkness, rawness and death. I explore these through different objects I collect such as birds, typewriters and rosaries and the various materials I use, such as aluminum, bronze, wax, sand and plaster moulds and ceramics. The final materiality of the sculptures I produce has a roughness that gives the sculptures an honest character by accentuating the traits of the specific material on purpose. In this manner, there is a quality of fast energy while creating and allowing the material to be. In all my materials and objects, I find an intense beauty, revealing the rawness of my whole approach. I consider myself a sculptor, but also venturing into painting, where I transparently express rawness, often combined with found materials. Because I'm not a painter by nature, you can see my struggle with painting and my unfamiliarity in the work, which exudes a 'rough energy.’
Upcoming
2025 Groupshow viervaart (24.05.25 - ...)
2025 Part of event at Murmur Amsterdam, (29.05.25)
2025 Little flat mountain, deschooling event at PARK, Tilburg, (01.07.25-13.07.25)
2025 Summer residency in Slovenie with IPIHAN
Group Exhibitions
2025 Sculpture garden (Cuijk)
2024 Swine piss and other fluids (Wine, piss and other fluids), (Sandberg alumni, Amsterdam)
2024 Zinging Tangerine (Nachtzuster, Tilburg)
2024 Noxious weeds (Butfilmfestival, Breda)
2024 Limburg Biënnale (Odapark, Venray)
2024 Metal et al (Extrapool, Nijmegen)
2024 Plakboys editie (Nachtzuster, Tilburg)
2023 Speaking to unfamiliar walls (kunstpodium T, Tilburg)
2023 Einfühlung / ashes / mouth / void / mania / ssssshhh - Kunstpodium T x Omstandt - Arnhem
2022 Vooruitzien - Zwijndrecht (asked by Niko de Wit)
2022 I See A Red Door And I Want It Painted Black (graduation show at Jan van Ligthart School)
2022 APE-KOOL - Melkfabriek, 's-Hertogenbosch
2021 I Want - Galerie de verdieping, Moergestel
Duoshow
2022 Noch drijven, noch zinken - IDFX Breda
Soloshow
2024 De wereld die nooit was (Sis Josip gallery, Den Haag)
Residency
2023 Omstand - Arnhem
Grants / funding
2023 Stichting Stokroos funding to expand the Ode to the Bronze Foundry
Collectives / collaborations
2024 - ... Little Flat Mountain
2023 - ... Ode to the Bronze Foundry (with Dani Andres Ordoñez Muñoz)
2023 Collaboration with Noa Zuidervaart during his residency at platform Livingroom
Employment
2024 - ... Metal adviser at Make Eindhoven
2023 - ... Curator in workgroup at PARK, Tilburg
2022 - 2024 Bronze foundry Kemner, Cuijk
2022 – 2022 Supervisor of first-year camp at camping Viervaart for the ABV
2022 – 2022 Art teacher at De Nieuwste School
2021 – 2021 Curator exposition with first years at Nachtzuster
2020 – 2020 Organisator of event, ArtFact
Publications
2024 Limburg Biënnale 2024
2023 Murf/murw no.12
2021 I Want More publication
2020 Printed book ‘’Kopieën van Lieve van den Bijgaart’’
Interviews/talks
2024 Artist talk with Herman van den Muijsenberg (Extrapool)
2023 Artist talk with apprentice master + Peter van Es (Omstand)
2022 Artist talk with Mike Anna (finissage IDFX)
2021 Koen van der Biezen (impresario of the arts)
2021 Peter van de Wouw (exposition at Galerie de Verdieping)
Education
2018 – 2022 Fontys School of Fine and performing Arts – Bachelor of Fine Arts and Education (ABV)
* Member of student panel during accreditation,
* Projects for EKWC and Art-Fact (for external companies within Fontys)
* Minor: 1 year internship at Make Eindhoven
* Graduated with thesis about the artist-teacher and the studio of the artist
2017 – 2017 Fontys School of Fine and performing Arts – preliminary education (achieved)
2013 – 2018 De Nieuwste School (graduated Havo diploma)