Marian Bijlenga

*1954 in Loenersloot, Netherlands

Marian Bajlenga is particularly fascinated by dots, lines and contours. By their rhythmic movements, but also by the empty space they delimit. Instead of drawing on paper, the artist draws in space, using textiles as her material. She works mainly with thread, fabric and horsehair, but also with fish scales and parchment. Materials that are soft, light, flexible and open to endless development.

Transparency is a prerequisite for her. By leaving some space between the structure and the wall, the object is freed from its background and interacts with the white wall. It becomes what the artist calls a “spatial drawing“.

Exhibitions and art fairs

2024:

Art on Paper, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Spring art in the barn, Browngrotta Arts, Wilton, USA
Water, waves, ripples: Water as a source of inspiration, Gallery Handwerk, Munich, Germany
KUNSTRAI, Gallery Franzis Engels, Amsterdam, Netherlands

2023:

Ook hier glijden de wolken voorbij, Gallery Franzis Engels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
10 years – Anniversary exhibition, Gallery Kellermann, Düsseldorf, Germany
#OrangeTheWorld, Gallery Kellermann, Düsseldorf, Germany
Zero 23, Gallery Kellermann, Düsseldorf, Germany
KUNSTRAI, Gallery Franzis Engels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
ACCLAIM !, Browngrotta Arts, Wilton, USA
IMAGINE…, Ramakers Gallery, The Hague, Netherlands
Geometry in Textile Art, Saxon Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
Art on Paper, Amsterdam, Netherlands

2022:

Winter exhibition, Gallery Kellermann, Düsseldorf, Germany
Art the Hague, Gallery Ramakers, The Hague, Netherlands
FLEXIBEL, Gallery Franzis Engels, Amsterdam, Netherlands

2021:

Orange days – Zonta says no, Gallery Kellermann, Düsseldorf, Germany
Cologne Fine Art & Design, Gallery Kellermann, Cologne, Germany
Lost & Found, Gallery Kellermann, Düsseldorf, Germany
Art the Hague, Gallery Ramakers, The Hague, Netherlands
KUNSTRAI, Gallery Franzis Engels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Leer van Vis, Museum Spakenburg, Spakenburg, Netherlands
Textile Art of Today VI, Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, Bratislava, Slovakia
Cool Gray Yellow C, Gallery Ramakers, The Hague, Netherlands

2020:

Big Art N°5 Hemburg, Hembrugterrein, Zaandam, Netherlands
Zomersalon, Gallery Franzis Engels, Amsterdamn, Netherlands
Sommer20, Gallery Kellermann, Düsseldorf, Germany
A DOODLE A DAY, Arti & Amicitiae, Amsterdam, Gerany
For the Love of Art, Gallery Ramakers, The Hague, Netherlands

2019:

Corona Archives, Nieuw Dakota, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Structures!, Gallery Kellermann, Düsseldorf, Germany
Art The Haque, Gallery Ramakers, The Hague, Netherlands
Identity & Intersection, Browngrotta Arts, Wilton, USA
Constellation: drawing in space, Honolulu Museum of Art, Hawaii
COLLECT, Saatchi Gallery, London, United Kingdom
FINDING FORM, FLOW Gallery, London, United Kingdom

2018:

Attention Please, Gallery Franzis Engels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Art The Haque, Gallery Ramakers, The Hague, Netherlands
Textile Art of Today, Danubiana Art Museum, Bratislava, Slovakia
Art on paper, Gallery Franzis Engels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Alles Rund, Punkt Kreis Kugel, Gallery Handwerk, Munich, Germany
Kleur & Abstractie | Generaties in Dialoog, Textielmuseum, Tilburg, Netherlands
The eye is the center, De Ketelfactory, Schiedam, Netherlands
Dutch Blue, Browngrotta Arts, Wilton, USA
Asia-Europe III, Janina Marks Museum, Kedainiai, Lithuania

2017:

Asia-Europe III, Museum of Textiles, Lodz, Poland
Art The Haque, Gallery Ramakers, The Hague, Netherlands
Libres comme l’art !, Museé d’Angers, Angers, France
KUNSTRAI, Gallery Franzis Engels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Fibre & Form, FLOW Gallery, London, United Kingdom
COLLECT, Saatchi Gallery, London, United Kingdom

2016:

Is getekend, Gallery Franzis Engels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Colors of the Season, Gallery Ramakers, The Hague, Netherlands
Amsterdam Art Fair, Gallery Ramakers, Amsterdam, Netherlands

2015:

LINKED SPACES, LaKaserna, Bad-Nieuweschans, Netherlands
Amsterdam Art Fair, Gallery Ramakers, Amsterdam, Netherlands
KUNSTRAI, Gallery Franzis Engels, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Delicacies, Gallery Ramakers, The Hague, Netherlands
PAPER IN DE HOOFDROL, Gorcums Museum, Gorinchem, Netherlands
Art Breda, Gallery Franzis Engels, Breda, Netherlands
TRAMES, Gallery Look&listen, Saint-Chamas, France

2014:

PAN Amsterdam, Gallery Ramakers, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Collections and museums

LongHouse Reserve, New York, USA
Museum of Art & Design, New York, USA
Craftmuseum, Jyväskylä, Finland
HOMA, Honolulu, Hawaii
Museum Jean-Lurcat, Angers, France
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
CODA Museum, Apeldoorn, Netherlands
Dutch Textile Museum, Tilburg, Netherlands

Prizes and awards

2018:

Grand Prix of the 5th Triennial of Textile Art, Bratislava, Slovakia

2010:

Bavarian State Prize, Exempla, Munich, Germany

2002:

Biennial Prize: 2nd International Tapestry Art Biennial, Beijing, China

1999:

Excellence Award: 6th International Textile Competition, Kyoto, Japan

Biography

Marian Bijlenga studied at the Rietveld Art Academy in Amsterdam and has been invited to teach at renowned international academies such as the Kawashima Textile School, Kyoto/Japan, the Seian Art & Design College, Japan, the Aalto University School of Art and Design Helsinki, Finland and the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, USA.

I am fascinated by dots, lines and contours because of their rhythmic movement, but also because of the empty space they fill. Instead of drawing on paper, I paint in space and use textiles instead of paint. My materials are yarn, fabrics and horsehair – materials that are soft, light, flexible and suitable for endless further development. The suppleness of the textiles gives me the greatest possible freedom to achieve my goal: the discovery of new forms. By leaving a space between my works and the wall, the objects are freed from their background and interact with the white wall. They become spatial paintings.

Works

Unique Artworks

Artworks on Canvas

Artworks on paper

Large Size

Small & Medium Size

Wall Sculptures

Sculptures

Outdoor Objects

Multiples

Graphic Arts

News

Publications