Liza Diekema (b. 1990) is a multidisciplinary artist and architectural model-maker based in Rotterdam. Her work explores the boundaries between reality and fiction, examining social issues, future scenarios and architectural memories imbued with nostalgia.
Diekema’s practice encompasses painting, graphic design, film, sound, digital drawing, installation and photography. Her work often evokes a sense of unease or wonder, inviting reflection on the relationship between physical spaces and mental landscapes. Her architectural expertise plays an essential role in this practice, enabling her to create complex models and installations that blur the boundaries between reality and imagination.
In 2016, Diekema graduated with a BA in Spatial Design from Willem de Kooning Academy. Her graduation installation, Omnipresence (2016), which addressed noise pollution, received a BNI Honourable Mention.
In 2019, she completed an MA in Interior Architecture Research & Design at the Piet Zwart Institute, where she explored the relationship between space, history and philosophy. Her work Ben(ding) over Backwards (2018) was exhibited at Dutch Design Week, among other venues.
In 2021, Diekema created the short film Acquiescence for CIRCA in London, visualising the human experience of the pandemic. The film was screened internationally, including in London, Los Angeles, New York, Tokyo, Seoul and Milan.
Alongside her visual art practice, Diekema has a passion for music and visual experimentation. Performing as a DJ under the name LZA, she combines sound with her own projected imagery. Her project Liquid Landscapes (2021) was exhibited at venues including Roodkapje in Rotterdam, where she performed a DJ set accompanied by her visual projections.
Through her multidisciplinary approach, Diekema invites audiences to discover new perspectives and explore the interplay between space, memory and perception.
Through my paintings, I strive to offer more than a visual experience. I want to engage the viewer on a deeper level, both emotionally and intellectually, and create a space in which they can escape the bustle of everyday life, find a moment for introspection and experience art as a bridge between reflection and experience.
My inspiration lies in the timeless beauty of monumental architecture from the ancient world and in the philosophical ideas of thinkers such as Plato and Leibniz. These intellectual traditions form an important foundation for my work. I am also strongly influenced by visionary artists and architects such as Christo, Michael Heizer, Alberto Burri, Étienne-Louis Boullée and Superstudio.
Yet my work is more than a tribute to the past or to philosophical ideals. It also evokes dream worlds, memories and nostalgia. Films such as Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker and Katsuhiro Otomo’s Memories inspire me through their ability to weave reality and imagination together into layered, enigmatic worlds. They evoke a profound sense of longing and introspection, something I also seek to capture in my paintings.
Each painting I create is the result of an intensive and carefully considered process. My visual language is minimalist and precise, with every detail needing to be just right. The creative process demands complete concentration; timing, technique and execution must align to achieve the desired balance of form, colour and texture.
Reflection plays a central role in my work, both visually and philosophically. It invites the viewer to look beyond the surface and engage more deeply with the work and with themselves. My aim is to create a dialogue between the artwork and the viewer, through which new insights emerge and emotional connections are formed.
