PRESENTS LIVING STONE WORKS BY MIRJAM DE NIJS

Guild Gallery is pleased to present “Living Stone”, the first exhibition of Dutch artist Mirjam de Nijs in the US, from May 12 to July 9. Comprised of thirty-three works by the artist who has been creating sculptures out of natural stone for more than thirty years, “Living Stone” presents a comprehensive look at de Nijs’ manifold approach to material and scale. The show includes new pieces alongside older works that have been hand-selected by RW Guild founders Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch during visits to de Nijs’ studio outside Amsterdam.

From smooth and polished to chiseled and rough, the works in the exhibition display a variety of materials and techniques. Ranging from seven inches to thirty-nine inches high, their scale and physicality represent the evolution of de Nijs’ artistry and the breadth of her expertise, applied across a diverse medium of stones and colors. They include abstract, conceptual sculptures as well as two functional pieces to be used as furniture, Chaise and Totem, commissioned by Robin and Stephen.

Solid, hard, permanent, impenetrable—stone provides the ultimate challenge for shaping and transforming material into art. Working with marble, alabaster, onyx, travertine and bluestone, de Nijs employs a range of different techniques that help her reveal the shape as effectively as possible, from machines such as rough saws and subtle grinders, to hand tools such as chisels and fine rasps. De Nijs’ background in Dutch language and literature, art history, and aesthetics cultivated her inquisitive mind. Her sculptures are the cumulative expression of her exhaustive inquiry as she translates her conscious experiences into physical forms.

With stone, she finds an immense range of possibilities without any limitations that allows her to explore her intimate connection and collaboration with the material. From smooth to rough, she embraces diversity in her work with a strong drive to learn new things and grow. For de Nijs, her exploration in stone is a perpetual quest.

Guild Gallery, founded and curated by Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch, and designed by Roman and Williams, is a natural extension of RW Guild on the corner of Howard and Mercer. The gallery celebrates the millennia-long legacy of the decorative arts through exhibitions of contemporary masters of their respective media. With a focus on natural material such as clay, wood, and stone, Guild Gallery is committed to celebrating artists and valuing utility in exquisite craftsmanship and form. Centering on the handmade and the natural, Guild Gallery provides a platform to expertly showcase ideas, artists, and form, creating a new dialogue between ancient and modern, fine art and design.