As part of our Artist Insights collection, we’re taking a look at how this Brighton artist is continuing to create.
Lieske’s Artistic Practice
In these strange & uncertain times, it is a joy to see how this Brighton Artist is adapting & growing her practice. Focusing on the themes such as the human condition, health, psychological boundaries, memory, and time, Lieske Weenink creates installations, sculptures, films, and sound pieces to create multi-sensory artworks.
Her themes
Lieske’s works explore topics that are often left unspoken, for example our perception of time and the limiting nature of memory. She uses “both physical materials and video to make time malleable; ” saying, “I decelerate, accelerate, pause, and loop, creating artificial fragments of time which I aim to disorientate the viewer.” What she enjoys about this process is that “it’s deceptive: it takes an organic life-event, which is experienced in the present moment, and shapes it into an artifice.”
Lieske & Brighton
Lieske describes Brighton as an important place for her development. Living here for almost 5 years, she moved here to study Fine Art Sculpture at the University of Brighton, which she says was the “best decision” she could’ve made. This is because, in her own words, she “met amazing people, built friendships and they allowed me a space to explore and question, and coaxed me into a better understanding of myself and my practice.” For these reasons, she says, Brighton “holds a very lovely place in my heart.”
The Past Year
Balancing being an artist, living on a boat and working at a local hospital during the pandemic, Lieske describes her year as being a very reflective one. She became “fascinated with how as humans we are processing things around us all the time. We are constantly struck with different stimulus’ through moments or events.” This line of thinking has influenced her art practise as she says “I’m not just interested in things humans would rather not talk about, but more how we process them once we are confronted with them. How we physically analyze a moment around us with all our senses and then the time taken to process and respond.”
Your Favourite Accomplishment?
Despite some necessary breaks from the studio, Lieske says that her biggest accomplishment over the last year is that she’s “continued to make.” She says, “Over lockdowns, I decided to let go and start making work that didn’t necessarily fit in with the ‘narrative’ of my ‘usual practice’. I started creating paintings with oil pastels and paint, I haven’t been confident within my 2D abilities as I’ve only constructed 3D for a very long time. So it was a big step for me, to just mess about and enjoy the process, not really worrying about it being good and to just enjoy making.”
What are you most excited for in the future?
To this, Lieske said “For the future, I’m just super excited about having some more normality! I can’t wait to show my work in the real world again. The first exhibition post lockdown will be great.” She said she’s also excited to see “other artworks, go to exhibitions, go to the cinema and gain inspiration in other ways other than through a screen.” So keep your eyes peeled for her work around Brighton once things open up!
Where can we see Lieske’s work now?
Lieske is part of an group online exhibition called The Sky Has No Surface which is live now, visit here to see the amazing online show. Also follow her on Instagram or check out her website to keep up to date with her projects. We love to have artists like Lieske in the studio, and we’ll be opening our doors from the 17th of May. Are you a Brighton Artist? Please get in touch with us and let us know what projects you’re up to.
In light of the government’s four-stage plan announced yesterday, we have a provisional studio re-opening date of Monday 17 May 2021. This is subject to change if the number of active Covid-19 cases has not deteriorated enough by this point.
In Step 3, it is suggested that indoor mixing will be permitted of no more than six. Copperdollar Studios will be following this rule if the data allows it. We will be looking to lift the restrictions to normal studio capacity by 21 June (if the data permits this).
We will start accepting bookings from 12 April. As always, if you have any questions please get in touch.
