Sjoukje Bierma in MASTERS GALLERY: 'It is the fear of fading'

MASTERS GALLERY returns this year with artist Sjoukje Bierma. Alongside illustrations for Het Parool and commissioned portraits, Sjoukje creates independent work and teaches fashion drawing at several renowned academies and fashion schools.

The beloved MASTERS GALLERY is back and this year MASTERS kicks off with artist Sjoukje Bierma. In addition to illustrations for Het Parool and commissioned portraits, Sjoukje also makes free work and teaches fashion drawing at various renowned academies and fashion schools. Her free work can be seen on Friday February 25 and Saturday February 26 at the exhibition 'Come Closer', but before that some works from her repertoire can be seen in MASTERS GALLERY... Text: Mical Joseph
Image: Sjoukje Bierma

Yellowface

"Yellowface I made some time ago and it is still a popular fashion illustration. This work is actually my best known work as a fashion illustrator. Yellowface was used for Fashion Week, among other things, as one of the seven illustration-sized 'backdrops 200×275 cm' in the lounge area of ​​Fashion Week. In addition, this work hung in the Amsterdam Hallen for about six years and is still hanging Yellowface as we speak used for the Puck & Hans shop window on the Rokin. Among many other illustrations, Yellowface sold all over the world, from New York City and Dubai, to Tokyo. I love that my image travels around the world and is requested and used for different purposes. For fashion illustrations I often work graphically, with lots of color, usually in ink and I never actually make those 'oops girls', but much prefer strong women and men.”

'Yellow Face'

Peter R. de Vries

“Because of my illustration work, Het Parool asked me to make illustrations for the newspaper. My first work about eight years ago was a portrait of Obama, after which I made many illustrations for Het Parool. I find it exciting to create a concept for a story, because in my view an illustration is intended as a trigger and addition to the story. So I think about what material I use to make it. Should it be soft or in hard lines? What colors are beautiful? What does the story tell and how does that feel? I made the portrait of Peter R. de Vries last year after the attack on him. I myself was quite upset by this violence and the portrait had to be made quickly, Peter R. was still in the hospital. For me, illustrating is not without emotion. It is so important to make a good and honest portrait. For me, illustration is non-verbal communication. For a newspaper, I believe that all readers should be able to understand the work. For example, I have drawn Holleeder and Taghi for Het Parool and the emotion I want it to evoke is of course very different from De Vries. I made the work with watercolor and ink.”

Peter R. de Vries for Het Parool

Free work

“In addition to commissioned illustrations and portraits, I make free work. The word says it all, free work is work that I want to make without an assignment from outside. I give free rein to my own creativity and inspiration. For my exhibition 'Come Closer' I made a series of portraits, ink on linen, that seem to disappear in response to the cry for attention, mainly on social media. I personally experience this shouting at this time. It is the fear of fading…What do we really need? What is the true identity of the person in the portrait? My portraits show vulnerability and are almost transparent. Here we see characters who are not concerned with self-glorification or adornment. Simplicity and tranquility have been chosen. Stand still with each other and contemplate quietly.”

Free work: exhibition 'Come Closer'MASTERS GALLERY | Sjoukje Bierma