100 x 70 cm,
etching, monoprint,
2020
€ 1.300 (unframed)
€ 1.400 (framed)
Annemarie Petri (The Hague, the Netherlands, 1965) is a very versatile artist, experienced in painting, sculpting, and etching. She uses her impressive technical skill to evoke a picturesque and melancholic world all of her own. Her artistic range within this theme is wide, from bizarre to humorous, from alien to familiar. The loving concentration with which she creates her meticulous pictures is remarkable.
Annemarie received her education at the Vrije Academie in The Hague (1984-1989) and has earned an excellent reputation since, first as a graphic artist, and later also as a painter and sculptor. Her work is shown in various museums, galleries and at exhibitions, both in the Netherlands and abroad.
“For designing my etchings I use a collage technique and in that way I create complex and often surprising compositions. Then I make a drawing on a zinc plate and I etch it in stages. The etchings are multi-color prints.
My sources of inspiration are: 18th-century engravings in the spirit of Piranesi, natural science, literature and, predominantly, the romantic desire to create an imaginary world of my own. This desire is clearly visible in all my series: Atlantis, Genesis, The invisible cities and Natural Science.“
As a child, it always seemed very annoying to me to become an adult. Because I found adults so terribly boring. I therefore decided to become an explorer or biologist.
When I look back I am very happy that I have not become a scientist but an artist. Artists are special people. You are often praised as an artist for the talents you have. That is of course fun but I am not proud of it. Talent is something you have received. But I am proud of many other aspects of being an artist.
Leonardo da Vinci was a homo universalis but in a way, every artist is. In the first place you have to master a profession or a craft: painting, etching, sculpting. It often takes years before you can do that. Then you have to make contact with galleries, present yourself, write pieces. You have to dare to leave the beaten track and go your own way. You should not only look at the outside of things but also look through people and things.
Art is meant to open people’s eyes and to look at reality in a different way. To show how beautiful something can be, how special or just to show the madness in which we live.
You can work on art at various levels as an artist, amateur or in education. It’s no contest. Art has nothing to do with the ego but rises above the ego. It is a form of communication. Art is there when words fall short. It is beauty and comfort. And it is timeless. We can still enjoy art that was created centuries ago.
Art must come out of your toes and it must be all-encompassing: it is about life and death. It rises above the small individual. It is also about making peace with the idea that you will not be there at a given moment. But then the art is still there!
