YLA
anni mertens
Born 1995 in Luxembourg.
Lives and works in Gent, Belgium.
EDUCATION
2020-2022 MA Fine Arts - Ceramic and Glass, LUCA School of Arts, Gent, Belgium
2019-2020 Pre-master Architecture, ArtEz, Arnhem, The Netherlands
2017 BA Exchange, RMIT University of Arts, Melbourne, Australia
2015-2019 BA Fine Arts (honours degree), HKU, Utrecht, The Netherlands
EXHIBITIONS
2022 ART Rotterdam, Gallery Janknegt, Van Nelle Fabriek, Rotterdam, NL
2022 Project VITRINE, Duoshow, Gent, Belgium
2022 Printemps du CAL, Groupshow, Luxembourg LUX
2021 Salon du CAL, Groupshow, Luxembourg LUX
2021 YLA - Young Luxembourgish Artists Vol.1, Valerius Gallery, Luxembourg
2021 BIENNALE DES ETUDIANTS EN ART, Groupshow, ViArt, Vianden LUX
2021 ZOMERSALON '21, Groupshow, KUNSTHAL Gent, Gent BE
2021 Project VITRINE, Duoshow, VITRINE, Gent BE
2020 Yes, again!, Groupshow, PATTY MORGAN, Amsterdam, NL
2020 Artistintheworld Utrecht Edition, Groupshow, Galerie Larik, Utrecht NL
2020 THE SKY IS BLUE, Groupshow, D.I.R.T Gallery, Rotterdam, NL
2020 De Belofte, Group Show, Kunstliefde, Utrecht, NL
2020 Apprentice Master returns from the Web, Groupshow, TAC, Eindhoven NL
2020 Under certain circumstances, Solo Show, EXBOOT Utrecht, NL
2020 OBJECT Rotterdam, Groushow, Rotterdam, NL
2020 Jonge Talenten 2019, Group Show, ARTPHY, Groningen, NL
2019 VERS BIJ MIJ, Group Show, MUSEUM, IJSSELSTEIN, IJsselstein, NL
2019 FRESH CACAO, Group Show, CACAO, FABRIEK Helmond NL
2019 SCHEPSELS EN CREATUREN, Group Show, KUNSTLIEFDE, Utrecht, NL
2019 ERNSTIG GESCHIKT! 2019, Group Show, Studio OMSTAND, Arnhem, NL
2019 BEST OF GRADUATES 2019, Group Show, Galerie RON MANDOS, Amsterdam, NL
2019 HKU EXPOSURE 2019, Graduation Show HKU, Utrecht NL
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PRIZES / NOMINATIONS
Mar 2022 Prix Jeune Talent 2022, CAL, Lux
Aug 2021 Winner Biennale ViArt 2021, ViArt, Vianden, LUX
Dec 2020 Winner Kunstliefdeprijs 2020, Kunstliefde, Utrecht NL
Nov 2019 Nominated for Carat Lucas Gassel Prijs, Cacaofabriek, Helmond NL
Jul 2019 Nominated for Young Blood Award, Galerie Ron Mandos, Amsterdam NL
Jul 2019 Winner Option 49 Prijs, HKU, Utrecht NL
Jul 2019 Nominated for De Hiviniziki Thesis Prize, HKU, Utrecht NL
Jul 2019 Nominated for HKU Award 2019, HKU, Utrecht N
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PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
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2023 MNHA-Nationalmusée
2023 Ministère de la culture


Installation: Bend or Squeeze, Let in the Breeze, 2021,
dimensions variable,
ceramics, steel
Anni Mertens works mainly with ceramics, steel, found objects and a healthy dose of humour. Her intuitive way of working, her play with material, size and colour, allow her to enlarge her toolkit of shapes. Once the individual sculptures are grouped together on diverse structures, they form a theatre of the absurd. The works can be site-specific, relating to their environment while the artist herself, is looking for unexpected placements and connections in the space.
Each set-up is an ever-evolving scene, as the sculptures seek new combinations with one another. At first, it seems like a rather static sculptural landscape but in fact Anni Mertens is looking for movement and dynamic within the
installation.
These movements find translation into twisted forms of ceramic objects by hanging, stretching, squeezing and leaning on the spatial construction. Her sculptural work embraces both abstraction and disfiguration, same as
precision and looseness. The viewer follows the trails of colour and her personally developed visual language inviting into an imaginary surrounding. Some pieces are left unglazed, exposing the earthy colours and textures of clay,
while others are covered with vibrantly bright glazes.
exhibited works

Naranja Offshore, 2019,
55 x 30 x 35cm,
Glazed ceramics

Cocoon, 2022,
35 x 35 x 30 cm,
glazed ceramics