Faria van Creij-Callender

Every work of mine is based in a dreamlike reality where the figures move between colour and culture. People of mixed ancestry have the lead role in these compositions and are mainly depicted in a position of rest, in the middle of their thought, in a moment that seems almost endless. The figures move alongside various symbols in between their own dreamworld and reality, in between light, shadow, culture and time. This feeling of existing ‘in between’ is the foundation of my practice.

Various symbols are combined, first as drawings, then in paint and wood, and form a mosaic of cultural and personal references to express this feeling of ‘in between’. These can originate from archives, Surinamese woodwork art, the red car my parents used to have, a mirror or someone standing between shadow and light. This hybrid perspective stems from my ancestry, which is based in Surinam, India and Brabant.

Every work contains elements which are repeated and further developed into new works which connects them to a continuous network of symbols. The diverse symbols can be prominently placed in the foreground or concealed in a subtle everyday composition or wooden frame.

All these symbols are like letters which I use to make new words, or paintings, with. Visual grammar if you will. These words show a story of a broader experience of migration and the right to simply exist. As I build my life on the decisions my ancestors made, I want to honor their choices and consequences through my work. All figures have similar characteristics to me to make space for the presence of bodies which are still often unrepresented in the art world.

There is space for delay and reflection in my works, where complexity of movement between various continents can be experienced, through symbols and mundanity.