NP3 & Groninger Museum present winner YGA II, Esther de Graaf

June 11 – October 2, 2016

Branching Fields by Esther de Graaf

@ Groninger Museum – Coop Himmelb(l)au Pavilion

Young Grunn Artist

After years of short coaching residencies with substantive

support NP3 started in 2011 the one-year development 

coaching program for young talented artists of Groningen: 

Young Grunn Artist (YGA).  The YGA trajectory is an

extension to the current work practice of the artist, with

all the necessary support on content, business and

promotion to professionalize, to obtain the personal artistic

aims and the opportunity to gain the  necessary connection

to the (inter)national art world. Next to individual coaching,

the artists receive a personal work and development budget

to create new work or hire expertise, to network with art

professionals, take part in a short international exchange

program, or make a short working trip to an artistic and

cultural metropolis.

YGA II

In the second edition, YGA II, NP3 and the

Groninger Museum decided to collaborate in the

long-term development program for young

talented artists of Groningen. Together they

search for the artist who is ready for the next

step in his/her career, an exhibition in the

Groninger Museum! From over 40 submissions three

artists were selected for the YGA II trajectory: 

Esther de Graaf, Berndnaut Smilde and Adri Schokker.

In May 2014 NP3 and the Groninger Museum

announced the winner of Young Grunn Artist II: 

Esther de Graaf. 

Branching Fields – Esther de Graaf

De Graaf makes extremely vulnerable, fragile and

temporary sculptures out of cheap everyday materials

such as cardboard, wire, tape and cellophane, which

she transforms into extraordinary constructions that

evoke an almost physical empathy. On the occasion

of this exhibition, De Graaf created works of art in

response to the interior of the Coop Himmelb(l)au

Pavilion.

Photo: exhibition CELLS of Esther de Graaf at M0Bi, 2012