Give them space
by Peter van Lier
(For the exhibition of an overview of Machteld van Buren’s work in Gallery de Meerse in Hoofddorp, 3rd December 2005 till 4th January 2006)
‘Give them space’, could come to mind upon looking at Machteld van Buren’s early drawings. Large, colourful portraits of Lassie – the heroic collie from children’s films – and portraits of kangaroos. The dogs appear to be caught within their own fur; long tresses hang down and are draped over the pedestal. The kangaroos are inextricably tied up in a mass of threads which is wrapped around them like clothes. The unmoving animals manifest themselves as lonely yet proud captives of the surrounding emptiness.
In a sebsequent series of large drawings, isolated figures attempt to set foot in the enveloping pace. Notably, no living beings have been depicted in these drawings; only lifeless dolls. Nevertheless, their postures still suggest movement. We can see the dolls taking their first steps of what might be a space-walk; a few of them even give the impression of taking a leap.
The dolls appear to be trying to free themselves from their own, constricting forms. It is as if Van Buren wants them to leave their own form behind. Opening up space, it seems, is her actual aim. However, to achieve this, shape and space must forge a closer bond with one another; become enmeshed, so to speak.
To achieve this, halfway through the nineties, Van Buren takes a different approach. In a series of extensive drawings, she develops an individual, personal script. She does this with a series of consecutive marks that appear to form words and sentences. Initially, the sentences consist of a series of marks in which figures – often animals – can be discerned.