Elles Middeljans

'When I have an idea for a next drawing, I only draw for that drawing. But never in the weekend do I think, “I’m bored, let’s draw.” I never do that. And the reason why, I found out, is that drawing is also consuming of all my concentration. It’s real work. Every little detail has to be on it. I love that, because without the details, my drawings could be somewhere else. But they’re not somewhere else; they’re of Amsterdam.'

—Elles Middeljans

For the 24th episode of Dutch Art & Design Today, I spoke with Elles Middeljans, an Amsterdam-based artist, whose work is focussed on drawings made from life in the city. In her, often large scale, line drawings, she captures urban life in a way that creates worlds within worlds. We recorded this conversation in person in her studio at the NDSM wharf in Amsterdam-Noord, a former shipyard turned creative enclave, where we were surrounded by books, plants, drawings, prints, postcards, poster tubes, and much more. Born in Brabant and trained at the Design Academy Eindhoven during the days of Li Edelkoort’s tenure as director, defined by its extreme conceptual-orientation toward design; after graduating she moved to Milan, to intern in the studio of designer Alessandro Mendini. From there, she found her way to Frame Magazine, which is also where she and I first met. After leaving Frame, Elles chose to establish herself as a full time artist in Amsterdam; the story of how she did that is fascinating.

In this hour and a half long talk, we unpack that story, tracing her youth, studies, time in Italy, and what Amsterdam offers her in relation to her work. At one moment during the end of her time at Frame, she realized that drawing could be both a profession and a form of freedom. Elles draws from life, sitting outside with a foldable chair, beginning with one small detail, and allowing the image to be built line by line. From black-and-white outlines, to saturated color images—influenced by Johannes Itten and Japanese color systems—Elles’s practice turns close looking into an act of joy. We discuss her collaborations with institutions, as the Rijksmuseum and EYE Museum, and conclude with her exhibition Kleurrijk Amsterdam on the Jodenbreestraat—which saw about 30 of her drawing exhibited last autumn and winter, placing the city on display within itself. From sidewalks to terraces, tulips and passerby; she meticulously creates worlds, both real and imaginary. All on a sheet of paper.

You can learn more about Elles and her work over at ⁠her website, as well as over on ⁠Instagram⁠.

You can find John on X ⁠@johnbezold⁠ and at his website ⁠johnbezold.com⁠.

'Dutch Art & Design Today' is published by ⁠Semicolon-Press⁠.

ISSN: 3050-6662