Frida Berntsen

Frida Berntsen (Nijmegen, 1997) is a Dutch artist living and working in Arnhem.

During her first years at artschool at the AKI in Enschede, her interest shifted from painting to a broader spectrum of media, with a special interest in textile. For this, she moved to Arnhem, to develop this further, an academy with a rich history in this medium. A recurring theme is that she is looking how craft and tradition can be of meaning today. Highlighted by the pandemic, she started to work more with materials and experiences close to her surroundings. It gave rise to see techniques and artworks in new light. Literally, by catching memories of dining scenes with sunlight in the parking lot. Or to capture the plants of her parents’ garden in silk. Everyday encounters and happenings are highlighted and made special.

There is a continues play with the sensation of time. Certain moments are captured, but these are also transient and changing. An ink that bleaches in sunlight, and accidental stain causing irrepairable damage, an old rag that is repaired but slowly falling apart again. By transforming, making abstract and working with these transitory mediums, she finds a sense of freedom and hopes to evoke a sense of awe.

With her practice, Berntsen is making artworks on the interwoven borders of art and design. Connections are made in–and outside the artworld. For her graduation work, she collaborated witha weaving mill in Belgium to produce a damask woven tablecloth. This can function both as as a tablecloth in everyday use, as well as a sculpture, floating just above the ground. At the moment, she is focussed on building upon these themes in the showcasing and production of her artworks.