Gerda Maas

Gerda Maas is a visual artist who creates refined mixed media artworks in which material, form and connection take centre stage. Her two- and three-dimensional works are composed using materials including polymer, 23.75-carat gold leaf, threads, metal wire and pins. At Studio Co van der Horst, you can discover a selection of artworks by Gerda Maas: distinctive objects in which craftsmanship, fragility and refinement come together, each with a strong presence within an interior.

Experimentation with materials is an important part of Gerda Maas’s artistic practice. Having initially worked with clay, she gradually shifted her visual language towards polymer. Within this medium, she developed a technique entirely her own. She models and colours the material and finishes parts of her objects with 23.75-carat gold leaf. The lightweight polymer is combined with a variety of materials, including threads, metal wire and pins. This results in delicate compositions in which structure, rhythm, light and spatiality play an important role.

Mixed media art with polymer and gold leaf

Gerda Maas’s use of materials gives her artworks their distinctive character. The combination of polymer and gold leaf can appear both refined and powerful. Metal wire, textiles and other elements connect the individual forms, allowing some works to appear almost suspended in space. Up close, the many details, connections and differences in material become visible. From a distance, these individual elements come together as one cohesive artwork. The result is art that continues to reveal something new as the light, viewing angle or surrounding environment changes.

Inspiration and themes

Themes such as transience, connection, rituals and human customs play an important role in Gerda Maas’s work. She draws inspiration from different cultures, archaeological discoveries and the various ways in which materials and forms can be carried, connected and brought together. Her travels throughout Europe and to countries including China, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, the United States, Morocco and Angola have further shaped her perspective on form, ritual and material. Rather than translating these influences literally, she uses them as a starting point for new structures, compositions and objects with a visual language of their own.

Gerda Maas’s collection consists of both two- and three-dimensional works and wall objects. By working in series, she continually explores how subtle changes in form, material, distance and connection can transform a composition. These small variations can result in an entirely new visual experience. Her aim is to create artworks that do not reveal themselves at a single glance: objects that continue to intrigue and invite the viewer to discover new details over time.