Catharina F.M. van de Ven

C.V.

2005-2011 – Academie voor Schone Kunsten Belgium
Sculpting degree with honors

2009 – 2012 master-apprentice at Eja Siepman Van den Berg
‘Meester-Gezel’
ejasiepmanvandenberg

2010 – Florence Academy of Art Italy
Classical sculpting
Florence Academy of Art

Lid van de Nederlandse Kring Van Beeldhouwers
Member of the Dutch Society of Sculptors
NKVB

MRSS-Member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors
RBS

Lid van ARTI ET AMICITIAE Amsterdam
ARTI&AMICITIAE

About:

Catharina van de Ven (1954)
is a multidisciplinary artist whose work combines classical techniques with contemporary abstraction. In addition to her sculptural work, she frequently works with textiles, creating vibrant tapestries. Her art, deeply influenced by feminist themes and personal experiences, explore identity, power and desire through bold colors and tactical forms, encouraging introspection and self reflection

“As an artist I admire the classic visual language of the early sculptors. I am fascinated by their artisan idiom and behold the quality of their heritage with great respect. This fascination, and the classic sculpting education I enjoyed in Belgium and Florence, make that the artisan craft is always visible in my work and remains the foundation of every piece”.

"every piece of work has to originate from a genuine experience and must have its own sincere identity"

Catharina received her sculpting degree with high honors from the Academy for Fine Arts in Belgium. She continued her education with a Master-apprenticeship of Eja Siepman van den Berg. Catharina’s classical sculpture background is evident. Though today her works carry more abstract forms, the classical elements and studies frequently inspire her new works. Trained as a sculptor, her work focuses on physicality. In the color, shape, technique, process, the material informs her work.

Working with a feminist approach, much of her work speaks to her personal experiences as a woman. Having grown up on a farm in a small hamlet, the artist learned from her creative and inventive father. As many girls during her time, she worked as a nurse. It wasn’t until many years later that she was able to do what she truly wanted: study at the fashion academy and later pursue becoming a sculptor. Today, Catharina fearlessly projects her female identity, using tactile shapes, bright colors, and commonly masculine forms. As both a mother and grandmother, the artist feels open to address topics like sex, drugs, power, or wealth. Catharina confronts each viewer. She aims to present a mirror within her work, so each viewer looks back at their own reflection and desires.

Several important themes are present in her series of work: power – strength – lust – tranquility. As her oeuvre started, she initially associated power within the male and strength within female, being internal. As her work progressed, she confronted this misconception and found both power and strength as female, both internal and external. Her Golden Project, illustrates this re-association of power to the female by transforming a ‘forbidden’ male form into a jewel on the wall.

Her projects often choose her by subjects that appear in her daily life. The idea for her series of works on lust was found in her trip to Miami, noticing a confrontation with lust with each day of her visit. She then aimed to explore how lust confronts each person, what lust means to individuals – thus creating her series Luxuria of ecstasy pills, domes, and vibrant tapestries. By using the recurring image of the dome the female is always at the center of her work in both material, concept and form.

Georgia Mowry
Art Historian

EXPOSITIONS

2024: ART MIAMI presented by Priveekollektie - MIAMI december 3-8
2024: ARTI&AMICITIAE AMSTERDAM -SALON 24 - November 29- January 4
2024: North Sea Jazz Hudson ART-section July 12-13-14 Rotterdam
2024: Museum het Gouverneurshuis Heusden - Solo exposition - April 12 - September 1 (extended till 27 October)
2024: Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary - March 21-24 -
2023: ART MIAMI One Herald Plaza Miami- December 5 - 10
2023: ARTI & AMICITIAE - AMSTERDAM - SALON 2023 - December 1 - December 23
2023: PAD LONDON - October 10-15
2023: SUMMER exhibition - Gallery Priveekollektie - July 14 - September 1
2023: North Sea Jazz ART section -July 6-9 -Rotterdam - presented by Priveekollektie
2022: ART MIAMI November 29 - December 4 - presented by Priveekollektie
2022: ARTI & AMICITIAE -Amsterdam- SALON 2022 - December 17-January 08 - 2023
2022: Cultuurtoren Honsoirde Nieuwkuijk - Oktober 17- November 6
2022: North Sea Jazz July 7-8-9-10 - Rotterdam - Empowerment Art exhibition with Priveekollektie
2022: PAD PARIS Jardin Tuileries - PARIS - April 5-10
2021: wintersalon 2021 Arti et Amicitiae Amsterdam - December 11 - February 6 - 2022
2021: Design BASEL/Miami Basel -Switzerland - September 20 - 26
2021: Female Artists Exhibition -Heritage weekend - Heusden - Priveekollektie -September 11-12
2021: ARTI et AMICITIAE Amsterdam - UPDATE ll - tentoonstelling - July 3 - August 1
2021: Nederlandse Portretprijs - SLOT ZEIST - shortlist exposition - June - September
2021: TITEL: GEEN TITEL - photo exposition - Museum Het Gouverneurshuis- June 12 - August 15
2021: 15 th anniversary Heusden -Priveekollektie Contemporary Art | Design -June 22
2021: ILLUMINATE New Year exhibition - Priveekollektie Contemporary Art | Design January 2021
2020: virtual Contemporary Istanbul December 21 - Januari 6- 2021
2020: ART MIAMI December 2 -20 online art fair
2020: HOMERUN#2 - 's-Hertogenbosch - Willem-Twee kunstruimte November 21 - December 27
2020: PADesignartonline November 18 - online art fair
2020: SOFA intersect CHICAGO -November 6-12 online art fair
2020: Design Miami/Basel- online exposition from October to ...
2020: Priveekollektie Contemporary Art|Design group exhibition September 13 -October 1
2020: PULCHRI Den Haag - groupexposition NKvB TODAY - July 25 - Aug.16
2020: Priveekollektie Contemporary Art | Design group exhibition Februari 16 - April 16
2019: ART MIAMI - December 3-9 - presented by Priveekollektie
2019: Rotterdam Contemporary Art 2019 at North Sea Jazz - July 12 - 14 - Rotterdam- The Netherlands
2019: MUSEUM De Fundatie Zwolle SUMMER EXHIBITION Europa - ZomerExpo - May 25 - September 1
2019: Priveekollektie Contemporary Art | Design - Remix of Contemporary X - Heusden - May 19 - June 21
2019: PAD MONACO- ART MONTE-CARLO April 26-28 presented by Priveekollektie
2019: ARTGENEVA-PADGENEVA Switzerland - Januari 31- Februari 3 - presented by Priveekollektie
2018: ART MIAMI - December 4-9 presented by Priveekollektie
2018: Spectrum of Time groupexhibition Gallery Priveekollektie Heusden - Opening September 8-9
2018: PULCHRI Den Haag - Beeldreflecties- NKVB 100 yrs - May 6 - June 23
2018: Gallery Priveekollektie Heusden: April 1-2 - Group exposition
2018: NOMAD - ST.MORITZ Switzerland - February 8 - 11
2018: ARTGENEVA-PADGENEVA Switzerland - February 1-4
2017: ART MIAMI - December 5 -10 presented by Priveekollektie
2017: PAD LONDON - October 3-8 - LONDON-Mayfair presented by Priveekollektie
2017: Gallery Priveekollektie Heritage Days Heusden September 9-10
2017: Kunst in de Vesting Heusden: Museum het Gouverneurshuis September 9 -10
2017: PAD PARIS Jardin Tuileries Paris : - March 22-26 presented by Priveekollektie
2017: Gallery Priveekollektie - Gallery Space Mayfair- London- opening January 19 - group exhibition
2016: ART MIAMI - November 29 – December 4-Miami presented by Priveekollektie
2016: The SALON- NEW YORK - New York November 11-14 presented by Priveekollektie
2016: Nederlandse Portretprijs : - NOVA- longlist exposition- Loods 5 Amsterdam October 28-30
2016: PAD LONDON: presented by Priveekollektie - London- Mayfair-October 4-9
2016: Gallery Priveekollektie Heusden: Sept.10 – 29 group exhibition
2016: Openluchtmuseum Beeldenpark Drechtoevers- Papendrecht: July – installation AVA 1840
2016: Hildo Krop Museum Rams Woerthe – June 11 – October 2
2016: Gemeentekantoor Duiven – April 3 – April 29
2016: B.O.E-JHERONIMUS BOSCH 500-'s-Hertogenbosch - March 19 – July 4
2016: Abdij Mariënkroon Nieuwkuijk- Januari 24 – Februari 28
2015: Museum Het Gouverneurshuis Heusden – September 12 – October 25
2015: Heusden Vesting – April 23: sokkelproject installation AVA 1840
2014: ArtArnhem – Arnhem – November 21-22
2014: KunstMoment Diepenheim – October 9-19
2014: Gallery Priveekollektie Heusden – September 13 – Oktober 8
2014: Pulchri Studio - Den Haag Sculptuur– July 12 – August 4 – Jeux d’esprits Sculptures
2013: Biennale Kunst in de Vesting Heusden – September 14-15
2013: ZOMEREXPO 2013 – June: online gallery
2012: AANWAS 8 – LOODS 6, Amsterdam – November: group exposition
2012: Kunstschouw Zeeland – June: group exposition
2012: voorBEELDEN III Amsterdam – February: group exposition NKvB
2011: DDW Dutch Design Week Eindhoven – October: group exposition Shapeways
2011: Gereformeerde Kerk Heusden – September: solo exposition
2011: Academie voor Schone Kunsten – Belgium – June: graduation exposition
2009: KunstVesting Heusden – September: open atelier
2007: KunstVesting Heusden – September: open atelier