Bianca Severijns is a contemporary paper artist who transforms paper into intricately layered artworks that form an original and distinguished paper language: thousands of hand-torn paper threads create large sculptured and abstract compositions.

 

Severijns was born in the Netherlands and now lives and works in Israel. Although she chose to uproot from the Netherlands, her experiences as an immigrant in a new country are the inspirational foundations of this exhibit. The “Protective Blankets” exhibit portrays displacement, migration and resettlement.

Severijns’contemporary paper art journey began as a study of the cycles of nature and progressed to social and humanistic themes. As a quest for a deeper and more profound exploration of the displacement theme, she started to examine the fundamental basic needs of people who are displaced. Her recent artworks concentrate on a re-conceptualization of basic and primary human needs.

The exhibition presents three Protective Blankets, the blanket as an object that promises care, protection and warmth. We are welcomed into the world in a blanket and we leave it in blanket, and in the lifetime in between, we all need it metaphorically and physically. Challenging the physical characteristics of paper, Severijns’blankets are flexible, supple, and wearable yet durable and strong.

An additional series will present vessels that appear at first glance to be perfect decorative objects. But a closer look reveals holes, splits, or cuts as representations of the imperfection, disharmony and complexity of the human existence.

Also on display will be 16 reliefs of repetitive organic patterns. The bare minimalistic and abstract reliefs depict the spectacular appearance of nature through a fascinating medium in contemporary art – paper.