Blanca van Haaren is a visual artist based in Amsterdam. She makes wall works and light objects in steel, using a grinder and a welding machine to draw on the surface of the metal. Her work often starts from the female figure and organic shapes. She studied industrial design at HKU from 2019 to 2023 and currently works from her studio at De Nijverheid in Utrecht.
Her words about her work:
"Through my work, I invite the viewer on a journey of self-awareness, guided by a single central question: how does our mindset shape our experience, and vice versa?
In my practice, steel takes centre stage. I began working with metal during my studies in industrial design, where it functioned mainly as a hidden structure. In my autonomous work, I bring the material forward, allowing it to exist in its own right.
Working with steel requires both precision and surrender. The material is unforgiving; every mark is permanent. The process involves working with powerful machines, which demands focus and control. At the same time, I cannot fully control the outcome. The material moves, reacts, and takes its own direction.
This tension reflects what I explore in my work. Our experience is shaped by the balance between control and letting go. Control creates direction; release allows for the unexpected. In my process, this balance becomes visible.
I capture moments of moving forward and hold them still. In doing so, space emerges for reflection. It is within this interplay of motion and pause that I search for clarity. Not to find fixed answers, but to remain aware.
I invite the viewer to engage with the work and to notice how their mindset shapes their experiences."
