Interview
Natalja Heybroek
Exploring philosophy of the mind is at the core of Natalja Heybroek's contemporary artwork. She uses organic forms to create refined abstract art. Revealing unusual shapes and capabilities of materials, the unexpected intrigue in detailed organic forms has a tendency to connect with the viewer on an experiential level. The art is expressive and emergent, made with intricacy and a veiled sense of movement. The backbone of Natalja Heybroek’s artwork is the deliberate elemental concepts on which the art is based. She examines subjects such as the senses, the unconscious mind, and human beliefs. The visual elements in her work are combined with these thought-provoking concepts that originate from a desire to unearth a deeper understanding of the human mind.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“Next to the ocean, peaty rivers and forests is where I grew up. Raised by Dutch parents in rural Scotland, I was raised in a unique place called the Findhorn Community, where it is commonplace to engage in community living, self-expression, performance, and celebration. When it comes to my family background, art is a common thread. With a history in Amsterdam, my father was a poet, my great uncle the architect Cuypers was the creator of the Rijksmuseum, and my great grandparents were neighbours and friends of the Van Gogh family – before the museum came to be. I have been creating and performing since early childhood. As a young child, I went to a Waldorf Steiner School where expression, the arts and nature are key elements and have continued to be a central thread in my life. My final years of Scottish education allowed me to pursue my interest in art at the college level, and in retrospect, my teacher at the time, Mrs Gordon, was essentially my first mentor. After that, I became an autodidact artist, forging my own path. I chose where I learned from and blocked out unnecessary influences. My second mentor, who came later, was Brian Neish, English art educator and established abstract painter. He was particularly gifted at providing me valuable guidance that allowed me to answer my own questions, but from a new perspective. And I have a degree in economics, a topic I found interesting in my 20s. Through this study, I’ve been able to understand the psyche of our society in more depth, understanding the culture and behaviour of our time. I learned why we prioritize what we do in the democratic capitalist societies we live in. It’s an insight into human behaviour.”
What inspires you?
“It’s this concept of perception of the self that intrigues me, an illusionary mirror with a moving reflection. We are in constant movement, continually evolving. This is quite abstract and philosophical in itself. And then it’s connected to the outside world, there is this dialogue going on between the inner world and the outer world, moving back and forth like the tide. In this part of our experience, I find it interesting to examine our senses and their limitations to absorb the outer world. This is central to our human understanding. We build technology to further this understanding, expanding and building more accumulated knowledge of the world around us. I also find the idea of cultures and their differences interesting, especially in areas such as language. Language is the sentiment of a society. And often there are words and concepts in one language that don’t exist in another. These words represent states of being and feelings, and emphasize experience. This, for example, makes me wonder does each individual possess the capability to experience all feelings? Or differing in genes and culture are we having very different experiences? Essentially it’s these types of questions I find myself thinking about in depth.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“Philosophy of the mind, perception of the self and the nature of humanity are topics that persist in my work. Intertwined with the aesthetics of my art are insights on which the pieces are based. It’s with these insights that the art comes alive. Concepts are sought after by researching and deliberating on the ideas of perception, philosophy and evolution. I peer through the lens of human understanding and its limitations to unearth concepts that inspire my work. Each insightful interpretation becomes an invitation for further contemplation when viewing the art.”
How would you describe your work?
“The style is visually expressive and abstract venturing into otherworldly motives with refined organic forms. Painting on canvas is central to my practice, but it expands further than that. I imagine the paint coming off of the canvas. With this in mind, the paintings often take on sculptural and floating elements, and expand on the unusual capabilities of materials. There is often a veiled sense of movement in my art, there to draw the viewer in. I find there is an interesting sensation that accompanies a piece of artwork when it is still, yet feels as though it’s moving. Because, in a way, everything in life is in constant movement. All artwork lives and ages like humans and trees. Everything you see goes through a process of creation and degradation. My work is a continual search for intricacy, merged with expression. I think in abstract terms, working purely in form, colour, texture, contrast and depth. I search for a balance in each piece, between mystery, legibility, unity, and complexity. The relationship of these elements brings completeness to the work.”
“It’s this concept of perception of the self that intrigues me, an illusionary mirror with a moving reflection.”
What is your creative process like?
“Deliberating on philosophical concepts gives rise to my work. Transitioning experiences in the mind into material being in the form of artwork. Not as a direct representation, but as an abstract interpretation. I am an autodidact artist, which has always provided me with creative freedom and focus. Being self-taught has allowed me to create work within my own creative limitations, rather than being imposed by the influences, styles and time restrictions that are within a program. By taking my own path, I have been able to ask myself the important questions rather than relying on anyone else. This has fostered deep motivation and allowing me to take the time to produce the level of quality I’m searching for. This has been key in developing my technique with the intricacy and experimentation that forms my work.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The predominant role of art in society shifts and changes depending on the shared consciousness of humanity at any given time. It is a combination of the desires within a culture with the possibilities available to an artist. This produces the art that was made in a certain time-period. When there were only oil paints which were expensive – and cameras did not exist yet - a predominant purpose of art, it seems, was to immortalize stories and people of importance. Often religious stories and people with prestigious roles or personal wealth. At this moment in time, we have cameras to document and immortalize, readily fulfilling this need. Instead, in our current culture there appears to be a strong desire to experience newness, acceptance and observe self-expression. This combined with the current abundant access to materials, technology and learning, leads to a very free form of creation.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“The exhibition I had at Philip Beesley’s Studio Gallery in Toronto was interesting. I found the organic forms in my art had a push and pull effect with his artwork at the studio. My work has regularly been on show in Toronto in the last few years. Two group exhibitions I found particularly interesting to be a part of, were at Red Head Gallery and Propeller Art Gallery. The collection of works on show at both were interesting to see in relationship to one another. Viewing the pieces in this environment was like reading a story, each artwork a different character, for an interwoven experience. And I must mention one of the most unique experiences of my life as an artist. I performed with lightning for the opening of fashion designer Iris van Herpen’s couture show Voltage in Paris. I was dressed in a made-to-fit chain mail suit and placed on a tesla coil under half a million volts. Lightning streamed off of me, I was spellbound. It was mesmerizing. Such an incredible feat to see this natural phenomenon from such close proximity, to be touching lightning.”
Website: www.nataljaheybroek.com
Instagram: @nataljaheybroek
