Martijn Hesseling
Martijn Hesseling
Martijn Hesseling, a Dutch artist based in the Netherlands, creates intricate and multilayered compositions using an unconventional medium—newspaper and lacquer. His unique artistic process transforms these everyday materials into luminous, complex works of art that challenge traditional painting techniques and explore the passage of time.
A Layered Technique
Hesseling’s process begins with a clear sheet of plexiglass as his canvas. He meticulously cuts and lacquers individual fragments of newspaper, constructing his compositions from the back to the front. The result is a stunning blend of transparency and opacity. By lacquering the pieces, the negative spaces in the newspaper become transparent, while the printed text and images remain intact. The white space of the newspaper serves as highlights, while the printed portions create shadows, gradients, and color. This layering creates a distinctive depth and glow, as the wall behind the artwork becomes part of the composition, allowing light to emanate from within the piece.
Newspaper as a Reflection of Time
Hesseling’s choice to work with newspaper as a medium was inspired during his MFA studies in painting. Frustrated by the formality of paint, he sought a medium that could reflect the passage of time. Newspaper, with its fleeting nature and constant renewal, became a perfect metaphor. The text remains legible in his work, allowing viewers to engage with the artwork on multiple levels. As one moves closer, the larger composition dissolves into individual pieces of text and imagery, offering a narrative that unfolds in layers. The ability to both read and visually engage with the material adds a dynamic and thought-provoking dimension to his art.
Creating Depth and Glow
Hesseling’s works are celebrated for their unique visual depth, which is achieved by the interplay of transparency and opacity. The technique of building highlights from transparency allows the brightness and detail to emerge not from the surface, but from the space behind the artwork. This creates an almost ethereal glow, as if the piece is illuminated from within, further enhancing the sense of depth.
Education
- 1991–1996: AKI, Academy of Visual Arts, Enschede
- 1995–1997: Dutch Art Institute (AKI2), Enschede (Postgraduate)
Collections
- Deutsche Bank, London
- Leaseplan
- Dresdner Bank
- AKZO Nobel
- Philips
- American Express
- Mitsubishi
- Icewatch
- DELA
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Classroom III, 2024€ 14,500.00
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Classroom II, 2024€ 20,000.00
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Whistler Park, 2024€ 24,000.00
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Le Royal€ 14,000.00
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Apartment B € 14,000.00
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Danny's Studio€ 14,000.00
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Yuri€ 14,000.00
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Sanzashi Onsen€ 14,000.00
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Kiku€ 14,000.00
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Apartment 804€ 14,000.00
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Art Basel€ 5,000.00
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Stream€ 19,500.00
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Cave€ 15,000.00
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Lilies - II€ 4,500.00
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Debora€ 4,500.00
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John & Elay€ 4,500.00
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4 Flowers€ 4,500.00
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Cleo & Melaena€ 4,500.00
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Jason€ 4,500.00
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Summit café€ 14,000.00
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Seen on PAN Amsterdam 2024
24 Nov - 1 Dec 2024Seen on PAN Amsterdam 2024Read more -
Volta Basel 2024
Booth C3 10 - 16 Jun 2024For VOLTA Basel 2024 Pien Rademakers curates a booth where urban architecture and craftsmanship meet nature. Looking into the work of the artists the concepts...Read more -
Seen on ART Rotterdam 2024
1 - 4 Feb 2024Artworks by Joana Schneider, Florentijn de boer, Julia Kiryanova, Kamila Sipika, Mel Chan, Jhonie van Boeijen, Chris Rijk, Martijn Hesseling, Pedro Matias, Thordur Hans and...Read more -
PAN Amsterdam 2023
Booth 3 18 - 26 Nov 2023This year at PAN Amsterdam Rademakers Gallery will present new artworks by our artists: Joana Schneider, Sebiha Demir, Jessi Strixner, Martijn Hesseling, Florentijn de Boer,...Read more -
PAN Amsterdam
Booth 3 19 - 27 Nov 2022We will join PAN Amsterdam between November 19 - 27 and will present new artworks by: Joana Schneider, Sebiha Demir, Martijn Hesseling, Jeroen van Kesteren,...Read more -
PAN Amsterdam
14 - 21 Nov 2021During PAN Amsterdam Rademakers Gallery presents crossovers between art and design. Several artists in our gallery are not tied to one specific medium, category or...Read more