Works
Overview
Martijn Hesseling's innovative collages on plexiglass challenge traditional painting with intricate layering of treated newspaper to create highly detailed images of domestic scenes, urban landscapes, and more.

Martijn Hesseling's innovative collages, resembling photorealistic paintings from afar, are actually reliefs made from newspaper on plexiglass. Through the use of a special varnish, the negative space of the printed page becomes translucent, leaving only the printed words and images behind. With intricate layering and placement of treated paper, Hesseling creates highly detailed images of domestic and urban scenes, as well as landscapes, reconfiguring the timeline of traditional painting through the legibility of news stories over the course of each piece's creation.

 

Hesseling studied at the Academy of Art in Enschede from 1991 to 1997, graduating from the Dutch Art Institute. He has exhibited solo shows throughout Europe and participated in numerous international art fairs in cities such as Basel, Paris, Brussels, and New York. His work is included in many public and corporate collections, such as Deutsche Bank London, Phillips, and American Express.

Biography
Martijn Hesseling's artwork is a unique and imaginative process that blends the traditions of painting and drawing with collages of newspaper on plexiglass. His highly detailed images of domestic and urban scenes and wide landscapes are created through the layering and placement of treated paper, which renders the negative space of the printed page translucent, leaving only the printed words and images behind.

Martijn Hesseling's work is deeply rooted in the traditions of painting and drawing. However, it is only when one approaches the work that his unique and imaginative process becomes apparent. What look like photorealistic paintings from a distance are actually collages - almost reliefs - of newspaper on plexiglass. By treating the paper with a special varnish the negative space of the printed page is rendered translucent leaving only the printed words and images behind. Through intricately cutting, layering, and placing this treated paper, Hesseling is able to create incredibly detailed images of his subjects ranging from dense domestic and urban scenes to wide landscapes. Working in a similar style to painting, the addition and subtraction of color, the works reconfigure the timeline of the traditional medium through the legibility of the newspaper and the news over the course of each piece's creation.

 

Hesseling was born in Ede, Holland. From 1991 to 1997 he studied at the Academy of Art in Enschede and graduated at the Dutch Art Institute. He has held solo shows across Europe and has participated in art fairs across the globe in Basel, Paris, Brussels, New York, and more. His work is featured in many public and corporate collections including: Deutsche Bank London, Phillips, and American Express.

Exhibitions
Installation shots
Art Fairs