Skip to content
Marjolein Verstappen

Bio

The unspoken space — the gap between what we say and what we truly feel, between thought and expression. This tension is at the heart of my work.

For me, color is always the starting point. Shades that flow together in harmony, or clash so strongly that they release new energy. My work grows from this tension — a vivid mix of paintings, collages, assemblagesa and sculpture. In a playful yet sensitive way, I search through shapes and compositions until something within me recognises it as right.

My objects and shaped paintings emerge as distinct  personalities, engaged in dialogue with one another. Each figure embodies a familiar phrase or question through which we attempt to express emotions or situations. Phrases such as ‘How are you?’ or ‘I’m fine’ become starting points to explore the tension between what is spoken and what is truly felt. I am drawn to the question of why we choose to reveal certain aspects of ourselves while concealing others. Through color and form, I seek to unravel these layers and give shape to emotions in a way that feels authentic to me.