Stepping into the home and studio of Dutch painter Joline Kwakkenbos, one is instantly witness, if only for a moment, to a delicate tapestry of her artistic domain. Art, as in life, is a convergence of experience woven into the fabric of an artist’s being, and as such, her walls stand adorned with paintings, some finished and others in progress. Flecks of paint, in all colours imaginable, pepper the white wooden floors, furniture, and the soft garments she wears. Every surface, every crevice, every particle of air bears her signature, rendering a true artist’s abode. The Dutch landscape, with its flat meadows and quaint villages, served as the backdrop of Kwakkenbos’ upbringing. A conservative environment coupled with the liberating power of creativity shaped her artistic style and the subjects she chooses to portray. Growing up in a small farming village near Utrecht, her artistic inclinations blossomed in the simplicity and serenity of nature. Kwakkenbos’ creative endeavours began in fashion design, where her love for making garments evolved into a fascination with historical dress. Meticulous execution, attention to detail, and the rich stories worn therein served as a palette for her self-expression. The transformative power of a garment, particularly historical ones, acts as a medium for Kwakkenbos to explore the many faces of her individuality. Queerness also lies deep at Kwakkenbos’ core, but rather than exploring queerness as a theme, she sees it as a natural mode of her artistic expression. Inspired by media, intimate connections, or the beauty of free expression in clothing, her paintings survey her identity, forming a harmonious dialogue with queer individuals throughout history, resonating with the community’s struggles. Kwakkenbos, deliberate in her paint strokes, gentle and precise with her words, and generous in both grace and hospitality, invites us to explore her history, creative process, and identity through a reflective Q&A.

Aaron Mitchell: How has your background in fashion design influenced your approach to painting, especially in the realm of self-portraiture?

Joline Kwakkenbos: In a way it certainly was. My work and studies in fashion design was a totally different kind of expression for me than painting. Although I love making garments, I was more taken by the power of them, especially historical garments where great attention was still paid to the execution, details and material. Over the years, my love for those special garments continued to grow and I started collecting them. In the strength of these garments lie characters that I explore in my self-portraits. In doing so, I am able to find a diverse authenticity in a world that is becoming increasingly universal.

AM: Can you share how your queer identity informs or inspires your artwork, particularly in
the context of your portraits?

JK: I think all the work I make naturally qualifies with my queer identity because it is made by me. At times, I feel my queer identity more strongly in presence and it can even inspire me. This may arise, for example, from media reports in which I am constantly confronted with the injustice done to the queer community but it may also be through the intimacy I experience with others or the beauty of free expression in clothing. When I feel inspired by being queer, I incorporate it into my work, for me it is one of the greatest sources of power to be able to express myself and feel connected to queer people from history and the beautiful peoplearound me.

AM: Are there specific themes or messages you aim to convey through your work and how has this evolved over the course of your artistic journey?

JK: In my working process, I do not consciously work with themes. I try to think as little as possible about what I want to paint and instead let intuition do its work. Being surprised by what may arise and sketchily searching for images from memories or fantasies. When I look at the years of my painting I see an ongoing search, to find a way to express myself and give a place to beautiful and difficult feelings. I feel a lot of injustice has been done to women in painting, how they were used as erotic and sensual subjects (especially the female nude) and the restrictions imposed on women artists because of their gender. I feel an opportunity to put both in a new context, as a reaction, to be allowed to decide for myself what my naked and clothed body means to me and because I can and do take my freedom as an artist.

AM: In what ways do you see your Dutch heritage influencing your artistic style or choice of subjects in your paintings?

JK: Well, I grew up in a small farming village near Utrecht. There I had few references to the art world but I felt the need to escape within my fantasy, so I started drawing. I grew up in a typical Dutch village, with lots of cows and flat meadows. For a child, it was a playground with lots of nature. I notice now how much it meant to me to grow up in such an environment. There were not many things going on over there so I got to know my own power to fantasise and create. Although being queer was not easily welcomed there, growing up in a small Dutch village is as big a part of my identity as my sexuality.

AM: As a woman in the arts, have you faced any unique challenges or triumphs, and how do these experiences shape the narratives within your paintings?

JK: For almost a year now, I have been researching female painters in history who use themselves as subjects in their artistic work, for personal, social or political reasons. Jennifer Higgie’s book (The Mirror and the Palette) is a major inspiration in this. As a female artist who portrays herself, I have come to realise even more consciously that I am inseparably connected to history. I am fortunately not confronted with the challenges women faced in previous centuries but I feel connected to it. It is so inspiring to see how many women still achieved success or chose a life for art, despite all the setbacks. This is a huge motivation to keep going and I am therefore grateful to be a woman and to love women!

AM: How do you navigate the balance between personal expression in your work and creating art that resonates with a broader audience?

JK: In my studio, I work in a way that is intimate. I love the being alone, together with my painting. I paint myself dressed, naked, repeated, in fantasy, in love and yearning. In this intimacy, I derive happiness and for me that is what painting is all about. The moment the artworks from this intimacy end up in a new environment, for instance a gallery or in someone’s home, I feel a mix of feelings. I am grateful that this allows me to invite others into the intimacy with myself but it also hurts sometimes because it breaks up the working process, it feels like an end, like a final presentation. This also makes me feel like a spectator or audience during an exhibition, only in my studio or during the work process do I feel like an artist.

AM: Are there particular emotions or moods you find yourself consistently exploring in your work, and if so, what draws you to these themes?

JK: Amazement, wonder, frustration, sadness, anger, joy, happiness and ecstasy!