Pick up the Pieces

In the hospital, it’s all about becoming “as whole as possible.” 
“Pick up the Pieces” is also the motto in Mieke de Waal’s art. She strives to create disarming works that explore life’s major themes.

Almost all of the works you see here are composed of many small pieces and various materials. Sometimes pieces of canvas are painted separately and later assembled into monumental kimonos or small dresses. Other times, maps take center stage.

Mieke de Waal says the following about her soft sculptures and wall objects made from map pieces:
“A few years ago, my work table was covered with pieces of map. Some were large, others very small—I don’t throw a single scrap away. In that disjointed pile of scraps, I saw a metaphor for today’s world, where wars and crises dominate the news. How can we find more peace and harmony amid this division? In many of the works you see here, I used pieces of map to depict that turbulent world. I bring them together to form a new whole. Often, a white dove flies overhead—in the hope that it will bring some peace.”