Sofi van Saltbommel

In Sofi van Saltbommel’s work, explosive creativity meets stunning technical mastery as the artist explores her primary theme; the body – either its presence or absence, and its internal and external structure. Drawing on symbolism and the founding myths of civilization, as well as folk and popular wisdom, she invents a powerful and evocative language all of her own. Sometimes her creatures seem disturbing; gorgons, three-headed characters, and tuberous, tree-like forms, which culminate in openings and horns. However, she is not aiming rather for humour than horror. Saltbommel uses many different materials; stone, plaster, wax, textiles, metals, wood – and of course, clay. Repetitive ceramic shapes are often crocheted together. The artist enjoys playing with contrast, juggling ‘soft and hot’ with ‘hard and cold’, and pitting matt stoneware against varnished ceramics, and black against white…The list of contrasts in Saltbommel’s work – which creates similarly conflicting reactions in the viewer – goes on and on…