Mai van Oers' oeuvre consists of drawings and paintings, not a uncommon duo, until you see the works. they form a remarkable combination of almost abstract paintings and often very realistic drawings. What they have in common is the resemblance to a sort of landscape and the perfect mastery of technique.
Painting
The paintings of Mai are worlds of their own, simultaneously recognizable and alienating. They balances on a thin line between figuration and abstraction. Mai uses a wide range of painting techniques. This can vary from delicately painted forms to raw brush strokes, like blobs of paint almost directly squirted from the tube onto the canvas that add sculptural elements to her work. Her paintings emerge slowly, during a process that grows towards a final result. It is a contemplative search for the right composition, colors and paint skin. Yet the labor intensity is not the first thing that stands out in the paintings. They are elegant images: it seems as if it was no effort at all to create them.
Drawings
Her drawings, too, are worlds in which familiar elements together form an alienating image. Cathedrals, tombs, fairytale figures and animals live in environments full of structures that can sometimes be traced back to reality and sometimes follow their own logic. Mai starts her drawings without a preconceived plan, during the process references arise, such as her childhood with the nuns, art historical sources of inspiration are integrated, such as the Tres Riches Heures of the Duc de Berry, but also what influences her life at that moment finds a place on the paper.
Murals
Next to works on paper and canvas, Mai van Oers also made monumental scale murals for Museums as the Boijmans van Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam and Museum Jan Cunen in Oss.
Unfamiliar Passions - April 30 - May 29 2022
In the exhibition Unfamiliar Passions we presented work by Leo Maher (UK, 1998) and Mai van Oers (NL, 1953). The artists, very different in background and age find a common interest in legends, folk tales and (art)history. Both artists create multilayered narratives based on their own lifes and experiences, such as gay culture and an upbringing among the nuns. The works on show invite you to dive into these stories and discover their endless references.
Their artworks are made with great attention to and love for technique. In Leo’s case a variety that spans from woodcarving to bronze casting and 3d printing. Mai van Oers has perfected two different techniques: very detailled drawings and almost abstract paintings.
Special Art - May 28 - June 27 2021
In 2019, artist Mai van Oers (1953) was part of the jury of the Special Award, a four-yearly prize for Outsider Art. Mai has a great love for these artists, who have little or no contact with the mainstream art world. She is amazed at how the world of "Insider Art” and that of Outsider Art remain separate. Together with Galerie Fleur & Wouter, the idea arose to exhibit her work alongside her favourite participants of the Special Award. For Galerie Fleur & Wouter, the exhibition is a way to introduce this special art to their young audience.
"It is the great impact on the viewer that makes this art so good. Just like in music, there is a direct line to the heart and emotion of the viewer." Mai van Oers
Exhibition Untitled - 14 June - 14 July 2019 Galerie Fleur & Wouter
As a gallery, we have been thinking from the beginning about how we can increase diversity in the Amsterdam art world. Inspired by the Italian collector Valeria Napoleone, who calls for the purchase of women's work, we presented a show with four female artists we believe in.
In this show we presented the work of Mai van Oers for the first time. Paintings made over a period of more than twenty years could be seen. Her paintings are worlds in themselves, at the same time recognizable and alienating. They balance on a thin line between figuration and abstraction.
CV Mai van Oers | Uden, Netherlands, 1953
Represented by Galerie Rob de Vries (Haarlem) and Galerie Fleur & Wouter
Education
Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam
Awards
2000 Jeanne Oosting Prijs voor de schilderkunst
Collections
Centraal Museum, Utrecht
Museum Jan Cunen, Oss
Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam
Teylers Museum, Haarlem
Chabot Museum, Rotterdam
Collectie Hedendaagse Tekeningen, Provincie Utrecht
Kennedy van der Laan, Amsterdam
Bouwfonds Kunstcollectie, Hoevelaken
Stern den Hartog en de Vries, Arnhem
Artotheek, Den Haag
Diverse particuliere collecties
Commissioned work
2019 Mural, Extrapool, Nijmegen
2017 Mural, Kennedy van der Laan, Amsterdam, ‘Ode aan Alexander von Humboldt’
2012 Mural, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in tentoonstelling, ‘Mateloos schaamteloos onbegrensd’
1999 Mural, Museum Jan Cunen, Oss, ‘1001 Nacht’
Exhibitions
2021 Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam, curator en deelnemer groepstentoonstelling met Outsider kunstenaars
2020 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem, duotentoonstelling met Jacobien de Rooij
2019 Chabot Museum, Rotterdam, ‘Ik voel me hier gewoon thuis’ een compleet overzicht van Armando’s privéverzameling
2019 Galerie Fleur en Wouter, Amsterdam, ‘Untitled’
2019 Tekenkabinet , Amsterdam, ‘Tekenkabinet Amstelpark’
2018 Park, Platform for Visual Arts, Tilburg, ‘139 x Nothing but Good’
2018 Kink, Assen, ‘Tekenkabinet XL’
2018 Provinciehuis Noord Holland, Haarlem, ‘Begrensd Oppervlak’
2018 Centraal museum, Utrecht, ‘Line- up’
2018 Amsterdam Drawing, Westergasfabriek Amsterdam, bij galerie Rob de Vries
2017 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem, ‘ Tekeningen’, duo tentoonstelling met Armando
2017 Centraal Museum, Utrecht, ‘Nieuwe collectie’
2017 Huis Schuylenburch, Den Haag, ‘Thuis in het Chabot Museum, de collectie van Armando’
2017 Museum Waterland, Purmerend, Tekenkabinet
2017 Amstelpark, Amsterdam, ‘Tekenkabinet in het Amstelpark’
2017 Kunstenaarsinitiatief Alarm, Beugen, ‘Onder vrienden’
2017 Kunstenaarsinitiatief T.S.O.O., IJmuiden; ‘At Home in yourself’
2016 Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, presentatie tekeningen in klaverblad
2016 Tekenkabinet, Kalkmarkt, Amsterdam
2016 Amsterdam Drawing, Amsterdam, bij galerie Rob de Vries
2016 Garage, Rotterdam, ‘The Fortune Teller’
2016 Nieuw Dakota, Amsterdam, ‘Drawing Front’
2016 Museum Moti, Breda, ‘Van Gogh Mini’s’
2015 Amsterdam Drawing, Amsterdam, bij galerie Rob de Vries
2015 Drawing Centre, Diepenheim, ‘Veldwerk 1990 – 2015’
2015 Arte Concordia, 2015, Rotterdam, ‘Vlaggen’
2015 Galerie Sanaa, Utrecht, ‘When colours move’ (duo tentoonstelling)
2015 ‘Tekenkabinet’, Museum Waterland, Purmerend
2015 Amsterdamse Kunstkalender 2015
2015 Taak – international platform for innovative art, Amsterdam, ‘Ode aan de Zeeprik’
2015 Galerie Phoebus, Rotterdam, Ladenkastproject 25 jaar
2014 Croxhapox, Gent, ‘Noetics and the Red Room’
2014 Angle Gallery, Amsterdam, ‘4 schilders’
2014 Galerie Phoebus, Rotterdam, Ladenkastproject II
2013 Drawing Centre, kunstvereniging Diepenheim ‘ Mythe en mystiek in het landschap’
2013 Museum voor Religieuze Kunst, Uden, ‘Hortus Conclusus’
2013 Galerie Phoebus, Rotterdam, Ladenkastproject I
2013 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem, ‘Zwart/ Wit’ (duo tentoonstelling)
2013 Museum Waterland, Purmerend, Tekenkabinet
2012 Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, ‘Mateloos schaamteloos onbegrensd’
2012 Centraal Museum, Utrecht, ‘Tekeningen uit de collectie’
2012 Rob de Vries Gallery&Projects te gast bij Castellvm Aqvae, Bloemendaal, ‘Mix op locatie’
2012 Finette Lemaire, etnografica, Amsterdam, ‘Trail’
2012 AdK galerie, Amsterdam, ‘The Image’
2012 Stichting IK, Middelburg, ‘Wensen’
2011 Galerie Nouvelles Images, Den Haag, ‘De foute beelden’
2011 Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, ‘I wish I loved the human race, 14 drawing Artists travel into the unknown’
2011 Museum Rotterdam/ Schielandhuis, ‘ToonZaal’
2011 De Nieuwe Vide, Haarlem, ‘Zwaan kleef aan’, muurtekening
2011 ‘De Geest van het huis’, kunstenaarsinitiatief Molenpad 11, Amsterdam
2011 Galerie AdK, Amsterdam, ‘Material girls’ (duo)
2011 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem
2010 Centraal Museum, Utrecht, ‘Op papier gezet’
2010 Teylers Museum, Haarlem, ‘From New York with Love. The Drawings Collection of Matthijs de Clercq’
2010 Galerie AdK, Amsterdam, ‘Grijzen en zwart’ (solo)
2010 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem, ‘Amuse’
2010 Pan, Amsterdam, bij Galerie Rob de Vries
2010 Kunstvlaai Amsterdam, bij RCdeRuimte, IJmuiden/ Amsterdam
2009 Museum Belvedère, Oranjewoud/ Heerenveen, ‘Wahlverwandtschaft/ Bouwfonds Kunstcollectie – Museum Belvedère’
2009 De Vishal, Haarlem, ‘Geertgen was hier’
2009 Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, ‘Kunst4Kids’
2009 De Service Garage, Amsterdam, ‘Quantum V’
2009 Galerie AdK, Amsterdam, ‘Oversprongen’
2009 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem, ‘Een keuze, Armando en Mai van Oers’
2008 RCdeRuimte, IJmuiden, ‘Zeven x Zeven’
2008 ‘AdK 10 jaar’ Galerie AdK, Amsterdam
2007/08 De Vishal, Haarlem, ‘The Eye of the Beholder’
2007 Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, ‘Kunst uit huis III, Armando verzamelt en tekent’
2007 ‘XPO/WGKunst, ‘Steile Wand’, muurschildering 3 x 12 meter
2007 RCdeRuimte, IJmuiden, ‘Venster’
2007 Art Amsterdam, Amsterdam, bij galerie Rob de Vries
2007 De Vishal, Haarlem, ‘Tussen het gebeuren.’
2007 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem, ‘Wet Paint’ (solo)
2006 Gemeente Museum, Den Haag, ‘Room with a View’
2006 CBK, Rotterdam, ‘Hommage’
2006 Galerie van Kraanendonk, Den Haag
2006 Schielandhuis, Rotterdam, ‘De Salon VI’
2006 Jan Cunen Museum, Oss, ‘Vette Vangst’
2006 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem, ‘Eilanden’
2006 RC de Ruimte, IJmuiden/ Amsterdam, ‘Drawing works”
2005 Jan Cunen Museum, Oss, ‘Over de Bergen – In Outerspace, duotentoonstelling met André van de Wijdeven
2005 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem
2005 NP 40 kunstenaarsinitiatief, Amsterdam (solo)
2005 Etalageproject Spaarnwoudestraat 2005, Haarlem ‘How much is that doggie in ten window?’ ‘
2004 ‘Wunderkammer’, kunstenaarsinitiatief Molenpad 11, Amsterdam
2004 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem, ‘Tekenen’
2004 NP40, Amsterdam (solo)
2004 De twee Wezen, Enkhuizen (solo)
2004 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem, ‘Tekeningen en Schilderijen’ (solo)
2003 Jan Cunen Museum, Oss, Rode Kruis veiling
2003 Centraal Museum, Utrecht, ‘Samenscholing’
2003 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem
2002 Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, ‘1001 Nacht’
2002 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem, ‘Art meets Nature’
2001 NP40, Amsterdam (solo)
2000 Centrum Beeldende Kunst, Amersfoort, ‘Zinnenprikkelend’
2000 Museum Sypesteyn, Loosdrecht, ‘Heden getekend’
2000 Galerie Rob de Vries, Haarlem
2000 Museum de Buitenplaats, Eelde, Jeanne Oosting Prijs met Reinoud van Vught
1999 Jan Cunen Museum, Oss, ‘1001 Nacht’
1999 VU Exposorium, Amsterdam en Het Wilde Westen, Rotterdam, ‘Ongevraagd drukwerk’
1999 De Expositie, Beerta
1999 Jan Cunen Museum, Oss, ‘Werken op papier in de torenkamer’ (solo)
1998 Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, ‘(N)on line’
1998 Hoorn 1999, Hoorn, ‘Sandberg 2’
1998 Hermen Molendijk Stichting, Amersfoort, ‘Sandberg 2
1998 Hermen Molendijk Stichting, Amersfoort, (solo)
1997 Centraal Museum, Utrecht, ‘Take 3’ (solo)
1997 UBU Gallery, New York, ‘The one line drawing
1997 Archipel, Apeldoorn
1996 Hermen Molendijk Stichting, Amersfoort, ‘Bomen in het landschap’
1996 Parade Amsterdam, The one line drawing’
1996 Zonder Titel, Amsterdam (solo)
Before 1996 a.o.
Koninklijke subsidie, Paleis op de Dam, Amsterdam, Teekengenootschap Pictura, Dordrecht,
Zonder Titel, Amsterdam, Centraal Museum, Utrecht
Grants
2016 Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds (Tijlfonds), publicatie
2016 Stichting Stokroos, publicatie
2011 Beurs bewezen talent, Mondriaanfonds, Amsterdam (ook in voorgaande jaren diverse
beurzen van het Mondriaan Fonds, voorheen Fonds BKVB)
Media
2016 Mister Motley radio, interview ‘De Kunst Is Lang’, Luuk Heezen
2016 De Groene Amsterdammer, ‘ van Gogh door een gaatje’, Arjan Reinders
2015 Trouw, ‘ Meer dan alleen een voorstudie,’ Henny de Lange
2013 Brabants Dagblad, ‘De omsloten kloostertuin keert zich naar buiten’,
2012 Udens Weekblad, ‘Werk oud-Udense te zien in Boijmans van Beuningen’,
2011 VPRO radio, ‘De Avonden’, Roland Sohier over ‘I wish I loved the human race,
14 drawing artists travel into the unknown’, Arti, Amsterdam
2011 De Haagsche Courant, ‘Foute beelden in zomertentoonstelling’,
2009 NRC Handelsblad, ‘Museale en bedrijfscollectie met elkaar vergeleken’, Dirk Limburg
2009 Haarlems Dagblad, ‘Ontdekking van Haarlemse held, Geertgen tot Sint Jans’
2008 Volkskrant, rubriek; ‘Wie koopt dat nou’, tekst; Marlies Dinjens/
foto; Joost van den Broek, artikel over muurschildering in Terborg
2005 Brabants Dagblad, ‘Verbluffende overeenkomsten in Museum Jan Cunen’, Gerrit van der Hove
2004 Noord Hollands Dagblad, ‘Mai van Oers tast grenzen schilderkunst af, Lida Bonnema
2000 Kunstbeeld, Anna Berk
2000 NRC Handelsblad, ‘Sprookjesbos in Museum Jan Cunen’, Sandra Smallenburg
Publicaties en artikelen:
2018 Kunstschrift, ‘Keukenstukken, de keus van de kunstenaar,’ Jacobien de Rooij
2016 Publicatie, Mai van Oers, ‘Tekeningen’
2016 Mister Motley, ‘At the Back of Beyond’, Hanne Hagenaars
2016 Metropolis M, Reviews, ‘Over leven en de dood’, Sietske Roorda
2016 Museum MOTI, Breda, ‘De Gele Krant’, speciale uitgave ter gelegenheid van de
tentoonstelling van Gogh Mini’s
2015 Kunstvereniging Diepenheim, ‘Veldwerk 1990 – 2015’
2013 KM, themanummer Tekenen, ‘Reiziger in tekeningen’, Harald Schole
2011 De Nieuwe Vide, Haarlem, ‘Zwaan kleef aan’, catalogus
2010 Teylers Museum, Haarlem, ‘From New York with love,
The Drawings Collection of Matthijs de Clercq’
2010 Centraal Museum, Utrecht, ‘Op papier gezet’
2010 Jeanne Oosting Stichting,
‘Leve de schilderkunst - 40 jaar Jeanne Oosting Prijs 1970 - 2010’
2009 Vishal Haarlem en Noord Hollands Archief, ‘Geertgen was hier’, catalogus
2008 Galerie AdK, Amsterdam, ‘Galerie AdK 10 jaar’, Aart van Soest
2007 Vishal, Haarlem, ‘Tussen het Gebeuren’, Dineke Blom en Marlies Appel, catalogus
2007 Stedelijk Museum, Schiedam, ‘Kunst uit huis III, Armando verzamelt en tekent’, Nicole Theeuwes
2006 Bouwfondscollectie, ‘Room with a view’, Véronique Baar e.a.
2005 ‘How much is that doggie in the window?’ Aart van der Kuijl
2004 Kennedy van der Laan, ‘Kamers’, Micky Piller
2004 Centraal Museum, Utrecht, ‘De verzamelde werken van Sjarel Ex’, Marja Bosma e.a.
2002 Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, bulletin, Annemiek van der Bruggen
2001 Jan Cunen Museum, Oss, ‘1001 Nacht’, Hafid Bouazza, e.a.
2000 Provincie Utrecht, ‘Tekeningen Collectie Provincie Utrecht’, Meta Knol
1999 Jan Cunen Museum, Oss, ‘Must’, Edwin Jacobs
1998 Centraal Museum Utrecht, ‘Take 3’, Cornel Bierens
1998 Arti, Amsterdam, ‘(N)on line’, Jan Hein Sassen
1996 Hermen Molendijk Stichting, Amersfoort,
‘Bomen in het landschap’, Godert van Colmjon
1996 Publicatie, Mai van Oers, ‘Werken op papier’
Galerie Fleur & Wouter
Van Ostadestraat 43A, Amsterdam
Tel: +316 57 74 82 99