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Rika Maja Duevel is a global nomad and her wanderings make up the nucleus of her work. With each adventure, she finds new inspiration and documents a different story—a sketchbook always within reach to record ideas as they come. Striking by their vibrant colors and patterns, her artworks aim to capture the moment and manifest from her daily experiences. She allows herself to embrace or let go of each one by sharing a piece of it with others. Her wish is that the observer might be able to pull their own experience out of each painting. |
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Vibrating Through the Space
Mixed Media: Acrylic Painting on Canvas, wire, glue, Gorilla Duct Tape 116 x 148 cm 2021 This piece was created as part of the collaborative project “Water Journey” with pianist Daria Fedorchenko and was influenced by the cathartic nature of bodies of water and the music of Rachmaninoff. |
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Stop and Breathe
Mixed Media: Acrylic Painting on Canvas, wire, glue, Gorilla Duct Tape 76 x 87 cm 2022 “Stop and Breathe” is inspired by Edvard Munch’s “Young Woman on the Beach” created in 1896. I chose to use this piece as inspiration because I wanted to focus on a work I always come back to, that continues to influence my process year after year. This piece is one of my all-time favorite artworks as I see myself in it, being the young woman standing by the water, breathing it in, taking a moment to simply be, finding strength in the solitude of the moment. Some may see solitude, others may see someone enjoying a moment of peace. I see a combination of both and find comfort in that duality—“Stop and Breathe” was created to precisely illustrate that connection. The symbols painted on the figure are the Norse Rune for Water. |
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The Waiting Game
Mixed Media: Acrylic Painting on Canvas, wire, glue, Gorilla Duct Tape 147 x 190 cm 2021 This piece was sketched out right after the first lockdown and depicts the period when everyone seemed to be trying to recreate the outside inside their homes. The yellow represents the intention of bringing in light and brightness, and the plants stand for the yearning of individuals to fill their homes with life to try and bring the outside inside. However, the figures remain gray: despite their efforts, this attempt could not replace the experience of physically being out in nature. |
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Things Are Not Always What They Seem
Mixed Media: Acrylic Painting on Canvas, wire, glue, Gorilla Duct Tape 136 x 138 cm 2021 This piece portrays the mind of an introverted artist: sitting still on the outside, but there is a combination of structured intensity and an element of control on the inside. An exploration into determination and an outlook on all the potentials of what lies ahead. |
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The Journey: The Past, The Present, The Future
Mixed Media: Acrylic Painting on Canvas, wire, glue, Gorilla Duct Tape 109 x 116 cm 2022 This piece is about adventure and destination both through one’s mind but also through one’s life's travels. The symbol on the figure is the Norse Rune: "Raidho" which sounds like ride when pronounced; it represents Journey, Travel, Mobility, Movement, and Rhythm.* The patterns within the piece represent different patterns I have used and often returned to again and again in different variations; the color scheme of blues and greens evokes the sensation that even with the unexpected there is a peaceful and hopeful feeling about the possibilities that may lie ahead. *from The Beginner's Guide to Runes by Josh Simonds |
The series below was created especially for an exhibition entitled “Little Treasures” in Bologna in the spring of 2022 for the art organization Trevisan International curated by Paola Trevisan. The four pieces take the observer on a journey where the figure, faced with a challenge, must find their way through a maze. The story depicts the stages one must go through to emerge on the other side.
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Everything Is Heavy (top left)
Mixed Media: Acrylic Painting on Canvas, wire, glue 18 x 20 cm 2022 Everyone Has Their Own Pace (bottom left) Mixed Media: Acrylic Painting on Canvas, wire, glue 18 x 20 cm 2022 |
The Unknown (top right)
Mixed Media: Acrylic Painting on Canvas, wire, glue 17 x 20 cm 2022 Rest Against the Past (bottom right) Mixed Media: Acrylic Painting on Canvas, wire, glue 17 x 18 cm 2022 |
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Born in Stavanger, Norway, Rika Maja Duevel grew up surrounded by icy fjords and mountains, which impressed on her that there was always a new adventure to be had just around the corner. She carries this thirst for discovery with her as she journeys forward, now leading her to the Netherlands where she has been lucky enough to be granted an atelier in Treehouse, a creative space for artists in multiple disciplines located in the NDSM neighborhood of Amsterdam. You can find out more about Rika's work at www.rikamajaduevel.com or on Instagram: @RikaMajaDuevel.
Treehouse NDSM is an arts incubator that aims to provide a space in which artists can inspire each other and find the freedom to pursue their ambitions. Located in Amsterdam’s creative heart, they offer 105 individual or shared affordable ateliers for rent and access to exhibition and performance spaces. Artists from a wide range of disciplines and all levels of experience come together at Treehouse NDSM to make up a vibrant and talented community.
With the purpose of bringing artists and audience together, Treehouse NDSM also offers public program with all-year-round music and visual art workshops and courses, exhibitions, concerts and performances.
With the purpose of bringing artists and audience together, Treehouse NDSM also offers public program with all-year-round music and visual art workshops and courses, exhibitions, concerts and performances.
