MONIQUE VAN HAASTEREN
"Etching makes me feel like a modern alchemist;
turning a simple metal plate into
something wonderfully different."

I have a lifelong fascination with megalithic sites. I love the mystery and unexplained about these great stones, often found in the most beautiful places. Combined with a deep love for walking the landscapes of Ireland, Scotland and England, this slight obsession is also a great reason for travelling. When I visit these magical places, I feel connected with them; their untold stories, their past and their place in the landscape.
I believe everything (and everyone) in life is connected through invisible processes, which I try to visualize in my art. My landscapes have different layers; visible and hidden worlds. They are mindscapes: coming from within rather than from outside, they represent what I sense. Perhaps I should call them Sensescapes…
Printmaking is magical. Printmaking to me means being open to chance, to unexpected changes and embracing them. Etching makes me feel like a modern alchemist; turning a simple metal plate into something wonderfully different. I love the contrast of the deepest, richest blacks on the bright whites of the printing paper. Using subtle colours which reflect my love for the natural world, I often combine my prints with embossing to emphasize the beauty of the paper. Etching is a labour of love, but one I’m completely in love with.
EDUCATION
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Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam : Printmaking and drawing
(teachers: Kees Spermon, Hans Andringa, Joop van Meel, Klaas Gubbels) -
National College of Art & Design, Dublin: Printmaking FA, large format etching
(teachers: John Kelly, Brett McEntaggart, Andrew Folan) -
ArtEz Arnhem: Degree in Art education
PRIZES
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BAS Art Award, Judges Prize Printmaking 2022
Gill & Macmillan Prize, 2cnd Irish Miniprint Exhibition
EXHIBITIONS
I’ve had exhibitions since 1988, so the list is long. I’m not a fan of long lists. Here are the most recent ones, and a few highlights:
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Yerevan International Print Biennale, Yerevan Armenia 2023
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International Biennale of Graphic Arts, Tirana Albania 2022
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International Print Mail Art, Amsterdam 2022
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19th AAmA International Contemporary Art Exhibition 2022/2023
Hangzhou China, Buenos Aires Argentina, Milan Italy -
Print International, Wrexham Wales, 2021/2022
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Novene, K17 Leeuwarden 2021
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Contact in Coronatijden, Grafiekplatform, Amsterdam 2020/2021
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Kunstkerkje Velp, 2019
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Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin
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Triskel Art Centre, Cork
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Butler Gallery, Kilkenny
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Riverrun Gallery, Limerick
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Voerman Museum, Hattem
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Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden
WORK IN COLLECTIONS
Gemeente Leiden, Nijmegen, Arnhem, Dublin Council, Heumen, Rijksmuseum