Nanouck van Iersel (1993) grew up in Rotterdam, where she developed an early fascination with nature. She spent hours playing outdoors, observing insects and animals, and digging in the earth.
At seventeen, she began studying at the Hout- en Meubileringscollege, where she experimented with the effects of colour and light in a space and took her first steps in furniture restoration. Here, she became increasingly aware of how quickly the world was changing. Discovering the care and attention with which furniture had been made in the past led her to reflect on how traditional craftsmanship was increasingly giving way to mass production.
After completing her studies, Nanouck continued her education at Rotterdam’s Willem de Kooning Academy. There, her artistic practice developed towards the creation of conversation pieces, shaped by the unconscious choices we make as human beings. Nature, boredom and paying attention to the little things were among the themes she explored.
During this period, she discovered glass quite by chance. After spending an afternoon working on a stained-glass window, she fell in love with it. Drawn to its combination of strength and fragility, Nanouck soon realised that it was the medium she wanted to work with, bringing together her interests in colour, craftsmanship, light, slowing down, art, nature and interior space.
I have always been fascinated by nature and light. I am struck by how organic everything appears at first glance, until you pause and look more closely. Then, gradually, more and more graphic lines begin to emerge.
My work is about slowing down. About the sense of stillness that comes from paying attention to materials and light. The pieces invite you to take your time, look closely and enjoy the interplay of lines and colours.
In a world where everything seems to have to be faster, bigger and more beautiful, I want to do the opposite. To slow down. In doing so, I invite you to experience one of the most influential elements of everyday life: light.
Through my work, I want everyone to enjoy the interplay of colour and light. I want to reveal the ever-changing nature of light and its captivating power. When you take the time to truly look, you begin to see my work change before your eyes. How wonderful it is, in a world where chance seems almost to have disappeared, to be surprised by a play of light simply because the sun happens to shine a little brighter. I invite you to see things differently and to marvel at what nature has to offer.
The materials and techniques draw you into a world of handmade pieces, each created using a technique that has existed for hundreds of years, a tradition to which I remain faithful.
I choose my materials with great care and work exclusively with reclaimed glass. Rather than taking the quickest route, I wait until I find glass that fits my vision and ideas.
I make everything by hand using hand tools, allowing me to shape every curve myself. This slows the process; at times, the work seems to grow beneath my hands. Gradually, my idea takes shape, becoming a work of art.
