Els Wiering is a Dutch visual artist living in Málaga, Spain since 2017. She grew up in Een, a small village in Drenthe on a farm as the second child of four. After a career as an ICT professional she decided to attend the Academy of Minerva, Fine Arts in Groningen, where she graduated with a Bachelor´s degree in 2012.
Since then she joined several group-, duo and solo shows in the Netherlands and abroad and was member of the Dutch Society for Sculptures (NKVB) until she decided to move to the South of Spain in 2017. This change in lifestyle was accompanied by a change in her body of work; from monochrome 3 dimensional sculptures that stood firm on the ground with a cement base, her work developed into a more airy, playful way of self expression.
Over the years, her work became more personal. The totems, for example, are a homage to her female lineage and an attempt to give them back their power and sovereignty after generations of suppression. Other works refer to water, which leads back to a mystical experience she had, during her time at the inner school of Universal Sufism. Her inspiration comes from personal experiences and life itself, her dedication to spirituality
and exploring the wisdom of ancient philosophies and religions.. This inner call led her to the teachings of the inner school of Universal Sufism, Taoism and joining several Ayahuasca ceremonies. Whatever medium she chooses to work with, it is usually with a reductional approach, in search for essence, a positive and empowering approach and her visual language is often characterized as a cheerful, minimalist and fresh.