Maja Houtman & Karin Kortenhorst
Strings Attached
Maja Houtman and Karin Kortenhorst form an interesting duo. What do they have in common? Wire. Although they both work with silver wires, their work could not be more different. Maja works with meters of thin wire to create wearable objects. Karin creates more sculptural objects. A fascinating exhibition was the result of bringing their work together.
Both smiths are former students of the Dutch College of Silversmithing. After graduating, Maja and Karin each went their different ways. Karin continued studying at the art academy. She learned more about creating threedimensional art. Maja also graduated the Dutch College of Silversmithing and later on specialized in filigrain.
The exhibition is renewed. Strings Attached can be visited until 2 October 2022.
Fotography: Stephan Tellier
Maja will surprise you with her self developed techniques.
Maja Houtman (1963) was fascinated by filigrain. The light, but surprisingly sturdy, strings of silver can be formed into bracelets, rings or broches. Maja continues to learn, experiment and combine. Sometimes she adds gemstones to her work. Sometimes she creates a chain and cuts it into smaller strings that she uses to create an object. But Maja even uses her technique and knowledge to create larger objects. She has won numerous awards with her work, like the prestigious Saul Bell Award and the Chinese HRD Award. Arachne, from Greek mythology, was already an expert in spinning and weaving, but Maja takes her work a little bit further.
Armband Suftal Fidda foto: A10design
Karin creates sculptural objects to give meaning to space
Kubus 60 x 60 x 60 cm foto: Karin Vlugter
Karin Kortenhorst (1961) studied at the art academy of Utrecht. She studied threedimensional design and specialized in jewelry. Karin started to create more sculptural objects after graduating. She uses different techniques and materials in her workplace, like aluminum, coper and iron wire. These materials are perfect to create large objects. By creating a frame around the air, she visualizes space. This space can be an opening or a place to relax. Her work has been exhibited and bought by museums and galeries in the Netherlands and abroad.
Would you like to learn more from Karin and even create something yourself with her? Take a look here
Art of strings
The exhibition Strings Attached brings the work from these two amazing ‘string artists’ together. Karin and Maja created some objects for the exhibition. They focused on showing the soft side of this hard material.
