ANTONIEM (Ton Voortman)
Ton Voortman describes his work as the result of a continuous search for the invisible. Much of his pre-pandemic sculpture focused on abstract and figurative pieces in which women, their clothes, and the symbiosis between the two were his area of investigation.
During the lockdown of 2020, Voortman worked exclusively from his French studio. Apart from everything that was familiar, he relied on the materials he had within his reach such as wood, brass, and clay. There, he developed an entirely new abstract style that juxtaposes distinct materials - ripe with organic forms and textures.
The result was a series of works in which he denominated ‘Antoniem’ (translated: Antonym)* to his figurative work.
“The shapes are simpler, the contrasts between the different elements are greater and there is more cohesion. They are contemporary moments, represented by a cube and an amoeba. Two words that have opposite meanings are called Antoniem (antonym). It is also the combination of my first name Antoni and Experimental Modeling”
Ton Voortman is based in the Netherlands. He graduated from the Academy of Visual Arts in Rotterdam in 1969. Out of a vague sense of dissatisfaction, he gave up sculpting in 1973, and then returned to his practice 25 years later in parallel to his work as an art director. Voortman’s work has been exhibited in London, France, The Netherlands, and Belgium among other locations.
During the lockdown of 2020, Voortman worked exclusively from his French studio. Apart from everything that was familiar, he relied on the materials he had within his reach such as wood, brass, and clay. There, he developed an entirely new abstract style that juxtaposes distinct materials - ripe with organic forms and textures.
The result was a series of works in which he denominated ‘Antoniem’ (translated: Antonym)* to his figurative work.
“The shapes are simpler, the contrasts between the different elements are greater and there is more cohesion. They are contemporary moments, represented by a cube and an amoeba. Two words that have opposite meanings are called Antoniem (antonym). It is also the combination of my first name Antoni and Experimental Modeling”
Ton Voortman is based in the Netherlands. He graduated from the Academy of Visual Arts in Rotterdam in 1969. Out of a vague sense of dissatisfaction, he gave up sculpting in 1973, and then returned to his practice 25 years later in parallel to his work as an art director. Voortman’s work has been exhibited in London, France, The Netherlands, and Belgium among other locations.
