Naomi Mitsuko Makkelie

Naomi Mitsuko Makkelie (1992) explores the meaning, ethics, and value of immortality in her paintings. 

She presents a personal perspective on this topic, while also acknowledging that she is only a small part of a larger universe. 

By investigating the ways in which the future, present, and past intersect and influence each other on a historical, scientific, and cultural level, 

Makkelie's work delves into the interpretation of culture. 

It is difficult to view art without a biased interpretation, but Makkelie embraces this challenge and plays with the perception of her work, 

which is often influenced by her Japanese background. 

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Makkelie has been creating paintings and drawings inspired by traditional Japanese woodblock prints (Ukiyo-e), 

and has been making autobiographical works about what it is like to live in this era. 

Makkelie believes it is important for art and literature to document the past years, so that people in the future can understand what it was like to live during this time. 

This creates a different picture than the one presented by the media, which may be influenced by propaganda. 

What fascinates Makkelie about history is how much of it is unsubstantiated and based on fantasy and fairy tales. 

This makes her ponder the potential for art to contribute to the pollution of historical information. 

Makkelie believes that art should offer different personal truths to coexist and that it should critically engage with media and society. 

She feels that art has recently been lagging behind society more than it is innovating and that this should change. 

Naomi, born in Amsterdam, studied Fine Art at HKU, Utrecht. 

She won the Buning Brongers Prize in 2018 post-graduation and was nominated for the Royal Prize of Painting. 

In 2023, she secured the Artist Start Grant from Mondriaan Fonds

Locatie:  Treehouse NDSM, studio 55B1