Ultimately, she creates drawings in which there are lines of written text; exquisite, poetic writing in an unknown language. These forms near complete abstraction. They don’t need the same amount of attention as the earlier, realistic figures. Their isolation or imprisonment is no longer the main affair. It is their relationship with the surrounding space and this, in turn, has become more intimate and balanced.
In two large drawings (‘Oooo-daaa-looop’ and ‘El grotto’) this development is completed: walls overgrown by organic structures are spread over different, consecutive sheets. The interwoven aspect of form and space has developed into an almost natural entity.
It seems to be in keeping with her development that Van Buren should move into actual space and create installations. This year, in the Frisian Museum (Leeuwarden) and in Seattle (USA), she created two large circles on the floor which consisted of different segments filled with everyday objects. The seperate parts stood in contrast but also complemented one another; here too, the balanced whole was the focal point. On the one hand, by using modern day objects – like toys, tools, clothes, jewelry but also natural materials – and on the other hand, by using archeological finds, space was even explored in time. Looking back over Van Buren’s oeuvre, the title of a film from 1943, ‘Lassie Come Home’, appears to be fulfilled. Space as desired destination is opened up. I wonder how this will be investigated next.
(The author is a poet and essayist)
Translated by Liza Berry