Vigor: Britte Koolen

Galerie Bart is proud to present Britte Koolen’s solo exhibition Vigor, in which she invites us into her unique visual language of ceramic sculptures. A subtle contrast emerges: the use of materials and colours lends the sleek, geometric forms an unexpected vulnerability. In this way, Britte creates a delicate tension between strength (“Vigor” in Portuguese) and fragility. With the minimalist sculptures in Vigor, Britte seeks balance, tranquillity, and depth – and invites the viewer to do the same. The focus is on the smallest details – those that are normally overlooked.

For the exhibition Vigor, Britte drew inspiration from her residency in Portugal, where she had access to a run-down industrial site filled with abandoned objects and materials. Each day, she spent hours wandering the old factory grounds in search of usable items. Back in the studio, she combined these found objects into new sculptures. In doing so, she draws attention to things that typically fall outside our field of vision – for example, a discarded distributor cap becomes part of a new sculpture. By translating these found objects and assembled forms into ceramics, their original context is stripped away. In this transformation, Britte imbues them with new meaning.

In her work, Britte seeks balance by slowing down her creative process. She continuously asks herself questions: When is something in the right place? When should something be added or taken away? When does balance emerge? This approach demands focus and precision to achieve the desired result. With Vigor, Britte invites you to notice the details. Allow yourself to be surprised by the small and fragile elements that so often escape our attention.