Crush on Nature

WITH LIESBETH BULK

Crush on Nature

Crush on Nature participated in the DDW under the theme: 'Frozen Nature'. I met with Liesbeth Bulk from Crush on Nature about her thoughts on the environment.

A natural surrounding is essential for Liesbeth which is why she lives in the overgrown and historic Quarantine complex in the harbour of Rotterdam. She loves experiencing the seasons, up-close and personal and so her home is filled with minimal luxuries, traditionally heated with a massive wood stove and has a fascinating wild garden. Though the studio next door is well-equipped and comfortable, with central heating.

" THAT WAS ALL I NEEDED TO ADMIT TO MYSELF THAT THIS HAD BEEN MY DREAM SINCE AS LONG AS I COULD REMEMBER"

How did you become an artist?

I started out becoming a garden designer, but it left me unsatisfied to only use plants as shapes or colours to fill in a scheme.

Besides that, you make a plan on paper but hardly ever get to see the result of your design as a full grown garden. During my internship I realised I wanted to be more “hands-on”. After graduating as a gardendesigner I continued at Art School and studied Furniture Design, completing it with a master degree from the postgraduate programme of the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam.

In what way did creativity play a role in your childhood?

I loved creating my own world. Growing up on a farm, we had endless space with bushes and barns to create our make-believe lives complete with self-made furniture, clothing and transportation.

Who and what inspires you and in what way?

I'm inspired by very different artist and works. For instance Bruce Naumans' 'Carousel' (1988). I saw that installation many years ago at the Documenta in Kassel, in a time when things were shifting for me. I was looking for my personal statement, what was my overall concept? This work was a catalyst and helped me create my own story. It made a huge impression, it is raw, unpleasant and confronting. It inspired me in a sense that I felt the urge to share what is slowly vanishing: wild plants, ordinary weeds, an odd strip of bare land, undefined places inhabited by plants.

I love the work of Mark Rothko, for the colour, the depth and composition. David Hockney’s life size paintings of trees are amazing. How he captures the ordinary, especially ‘Bigger Trees near Warter’. He painted this, to some an insignificant bush, several times throughout the seasons. When he returned one spring, he only found logs… his point of view on ordinary trees is very interesting.

In the start of my career nature played a minimal role in my work, but over time I recognized that it is essential. Not only for me, but for many people who have been alienated from nature, spending so much time in artificial surroundings like their workplace. I made it my focus to bring nature into the office.

People are amazed by the beautiful structures, colours and filigrain I create with local weeds in large panels. Make them realise that the weeds, that grow around their office or along the road on their way to work, are so beautiful and delicate.

What is your view on Frozen Nature?

Frozen Nature was a joint presentation with Fabrique Ceramique for the DDW. The title “frozen” is more applicable to my older work, in which I capture the plant and 'freeze' it in glass. Resulting in subtle, translucent panels with enclosed leaves and flower petals. In my current work I also use the plant as a whole, free hanging collages of plants between transparent panels, bringing true nature right into the office.

On the DDW I also showed the first steps of my new project: moving away from the plant as a whole, taking a more abstract approach. Working with the colour and the texture of plants in cross-sections,creating an abstract surface material.

These designs are about the connotations with nature. At first glance it is not clear what material you look at, it might refer to exclusive stone or bark. Triggering to investigate the natural colours and shapes. This material is very suitable for an elegant meeting table, stylish and at the same time it brings in all the good vibes that come with natural materials.

crush-on-nature.nl

" MY LATEST DESIGNS ARE ABOUT THE CONNOTATIONS WITH NATURE."