Hoogvliet, Rotterdam and Bruinisse, Zeeland

Born in Hoogvliet, Rotterdam, I grew up in an industrial landscape dominated by Shell’s flare stacks. Although environmental concerns were not yet widely discussed, they left a lasting impression on me. My family originated from Zeeland, and at twelve, we moved to the fishing village of Bruinisse. The sea, dikes, and the remoteness of the islands profoundly shaped my artistic sensibility. Daily cycling through Zeeland’s windswept landscapes to school in Zierikzee strengthened my connection to nature and movement—recurring themes in my later work.

Middelburg and Early Influences (1977-1981)

I studied at the Pedagogical Academy in Middelburg, where I was introduced to classical music, literature, and art. The artist Marinus Boezem, his wife Maria Rosa and their engagement with Arte Povera influenced me, as did my work at the Rijn Schelde Institute, where I became involved in environmental and industrial landscape studies. These experiences deepened my awareness of space’s transformation—an idea that became central to my artistic practice.

Art Academy St. Joost, Breda (1982-1987)

At St. Joost, I studied under Robert O’Brien and Harry Boogers, who emphasized conceptual and minimal art. This environment honed my experimental approach. I found affinity among fellow students, many of whom became close friends, sharing in the excitement of alchemical exploration and long discussions that shaped our perspectives. The communal energy of the academy was as formative as the coursework itself, fostering an atmosphere where ideas could be challenged and expanded upon in equal measure.
A pivotal moment came when Luciano Fabro invited me to Milan’s Casa degli Artisti, marking my first major international experience.

Casa degli Artisti, Milan (1988)

In Milan, I encountered influential figures such as Hidetoshi Nagasawa, Gilberto Zorio, and Yannis Kounellis, expanding my artistic vocabulary. My conceptual training provided the foundation to navigate Milan’s rigorous art scene while staying true to my introspective and personal approach. This period led to my acceptance at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam.
Rijksakademie, Amsterdam (1990-1992)
At the Rijksakademie, I explored sculpture in water, inspired by Italian gardens and landscape interventions. However, rather than moving toward public art, I shifted my focus to textile-based installations. The swan, a recurring motif, became a metaphor for transition and refuge. Embroidery, as a contemplative practice, counterbalanced conceptual rigidity, allowing me to explore time, personal history, and the intimacy of enclosed spaces—elements that would remain central to my work.

Amsterdam and Italy (1992-2000)

Initially met with skepticism by Dutch critics, my embroidery installations found recognition in Italy, where curator Saretto Cincinelli introduced me to a dynamic artistic network. Encouraged by this new circle, I began experimenting with the interplay between textile and performance, pushing the boundaries of traditional embroidery.
During a work stipend in Rome (1998-2000), I immersed myself in the city’s layered history and artistic energy, marking a profound evolution in my practice.
The loss of my father during this time deeply affected my creative process. Embroidery became my refuge, a quiet yet powerful way to hold onto memories and express emotions I struggled to put into words. This led to The Garden of Speech, an ongoing series in which I reinterpret his final sketches through thread and fabric. Each stitch became an act of remembrance, weaving together past and present, personal history and contemporary art.

Tokyo and Photography (1999-2000)

A turning point came during a residency in Tokyo, where I was captivated by the raw intensity of Bûtoh performances. Observing Kazuo and Yoshito Ohno, I was struck by their ability to embody transformation through movement, inspiring me to integrate photography and performance into my own work. The way they conveyed presence and absence resonated deeply, mirroring themes I had long explored in textiles and installation art.
During this time, I also encountered the work of Nobuyoshi Araki, whose intimate approach to visual storytelling challenged my perception of photography. His ability to blur the boundaries between the staged and the spontaneous encouraged me to rethink my own artistic process. My work began shifting toward a more narrative and performative dimension, leading to exhibitions exploring memory, impermanence, and transformation. This experience in Tokyo was not just a shift in medium but a reorientation of my creative identity, one that continues to influence my practice.

Tuscany and the ‘Virtual Postcards’ Project (2000-2002)

Moving to Tuscany, I documented daily life with my first digital camera. This led to Virtual Postcards, an early internet-based artwork where I sent photographic ‘e-cards’ reflecting on displacement and nostalgia. Later exhibited as physical postcards, the project blended digital and tangible media.

France and Hermit Drawings (2008-present)

Since 2008, extended stays in the French countryside have profoundly shaped my work, fostering a more introspective and immersive approach. Engaged in the rhythms of nature, I drew inspiration from 16th-century woodland engravings, where landscapes concealed figures in quiet contemplation. The influence of Bûtoh, with its emphasis on presence and metamorphosis, deepened my engagement with themes of disappearance and transformation.
This led to a series of hermit drawings, in which figures merge with the landscape, dissolving into the textures of trees, earth, and shadow. The act of drawing became a contemplative process, reflecting the tension between visibility and obscurity, permanence and ephemerality. In these works, I sought to capture a dialogue between the physical world and the unseen, between history and the personal journey of retreat.
The series continues to evolve, expanding into larger compositions and experimental formats. Incorporating elements of textile and layered washes of ink, I explore the interplay of memory, isolation, and movement within contained spaces. My practice is deeply intertwined with historical imagery—not merely as reference but as an ongoing dialogue shaping my perspective. At the same time, it reflects my search for sanctuary and introspection—an attempt to carve out moments of stillness amid the rapid transformations of the modern world. I am drawn to quiet spaces where history and solitude converge, where time slows, allowing for contemplation and connection beyond the immediate and fleeting.

Group and solo exhibitions
Conceptual art, art video, photography, drawing

• 2020 Je ne suis pas là (solo exhibition)
  La Pléiade, Commentry, FR / catalogue
• 2020 L’altra metà del cielo
  Museum MAC,N, Monsummano Terme, IT
• 2018 Appunti sul paesaggio
  Casa Masaccio, San Giovanni Valdarno, IT
  Curator: Serena Trinchero
• 2016 VJ
  Fest Miden, Kalamata, Greece
  Screening video/slideshow Arcopal Lullaby
• 2015 Ripensare il medium. Il fantasmo del disegno
  Casa Masaccio, San Giovanni Valdarno, IT / catalogue
  Curator: Saretto Cincinelli et Christiana Collu
  Artists:
  Giovanni Anselmo, Massimo Bartolini, Massimo Barzagli, Emanuele Becheri, Luca Bertolo, Chiara
  Bettazzi, Alighiero Boetti, Chiara Camoni, Francesco Carone, David Casini, Giulia Cenci, Connie Dekker,
  Daniela De Lorenzo, Rolando Deval, Marius Engh, Emma Grosbois, Carlo Guaita, William Kentridge,
  Ketty La Rocca, Sol LeWitt, Paolo Meoni, Franco Menicagli, Oscar Muñoz, Jaume Plensa, Davide
  Rivalta, Robin Rhode, Andrea Santarlasci, Massimiliano Turco, Ignacio Uriarte, Sophie Whettnall.
• 2015 Little Italy
  Project Doppio Concentrato con Massimo Barzagli, Icastica 2015, Arezzo, Italy
• 2015 I love and am loved
  Project Doppio Concentrato con Massimo Barzagli, Firenze, Italy
• 2012 Opid Hus
  AIR NES, Skagaströnd, Iceland
• 2011 Moving
  Gallery Dryphoto, Prato, IT
  Artists:
  Luigi Ghirri, Olivo Barbieri, Guido Guidi, Vittore Fossati, Vincenzo Castella, Andrea Abati, Dennis
  Marsico, Thomas Ruff, Francesca Woodman, Toshio Shibata, Sakiko Nomura, Kazuko Wakayama,
  Hiroto Fujimoto, Marco Signorini, Fabio Casati, Marco Baroncelli, Filippo Maggia, Carmelo Nicosia,
  Paolo Bernabini, Sislej Xhafa, Shao Yinong & Muchen, Shimabuku, Connie Dekker, Gea Casolaro,
  Zheng Guogu, Giovanni Ozzola, Robert Pettena, Margherita Verdi, Rita Linz, Tancredi Mangano,
  Michael Schmidt, Nobuyoshi Araki, Renate Aller, Andreoni e Fortugno, Natalie Magnan, Margot Pilz,
  Alessandro Mencarelli, Stefania Balestri, Mariette Schiltz, Stefano Boccalini, Paola Di Bello.
• 2010 About the Utopian Display
  Casa Masaccio, S, Giovanni Val d’ Arno, IT
  Artists:
  Yael Davids / Face, Seila Kameric / Dream House, Ange Leccia / La Mer, Paolo Meoni / Bound, Robert
  Pettena / One Drop, Mark Lewis / Algonquin Park, North Circular, Farid Rahimi / Fujii, Sophie Whettnall /
  Over the Sea,Shadow Boxing Kan Xua / In Focus. Out Focus, 100 Times, Cyprien Gaillard / Real
  Remnant of Fictive War V, Guido van der Werve / Nummer acht Everything is going to be alright,
  Michael von Ausswolff –Thomas Nordanstad Hashima, Al Qasr, Bahriyah Oasis, Sigurdur Gudjonsson /
  Bleak, Connie Dekker / Zeeland
• 2009 Gallery 1
  Gallery Central Booking, New York, USA
  Curriculum 2 Vitae Connie Dekker 2020
• 2009 Artisti Amici
  Sala Uno, Rome, IT
  Artists:
  Laura Facchini, Jack Sal, Connie Dekker
• 2008 La Collezione
  Museum MAC’N, Monsummano Terme, IT
  Curator: Alessandra Scappini
• 2007 De Soto. Esplora te stesso
  Alessandra Scappini, D’A spazio d’Arte, Empoli, IT
  Artists:
  Renate Aller, Stefania Balestri, Martina delle Valle, Rachel Morellet, ElisabettaScarpini, Donatella
  Spaziani and Margherita Verdi
  2006 Io so dove non sei: due viaggi al femminile
  Video et performance, MAC’N et la Rocca de Monssumano Alto, IT / DVD
• 2006 Misure del tempo
  Museum per l’Arte Contemporanea, MAC’N, Monssumano Terme, IT / catalogue
  Curator: Giovanna Uzzani
  Artists:
  Emanuele Becheri, Antonio Catelani, Fabio Cresci, Connie Dekker, Paolo Fabiani, L. Addo Trinci.
• 2005 Collettiva
  Gallery Dryphoto, Prato, IT
• 2005 Floss weg, diapresentation
  Theatre Benjamin, Groningen, Paesi Bassi
• 2004 Zeeland, videopresentatie
  GHL, Middelburg, Paesi Bassi
• 2004 Spread in Prato (catalogue )
  Gallery Dryphoto, Prato, IT / catalogue
  Curator: Pier Luigi Tazzi et Dryphoto
  Artists:
  Nakahira Takuma, Carmelo Nicosia, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Armin Linke, Isaac Julien, Sissi, Tomoko
  Yoneda, Rosa Rossa, Italo Zuffi, Adi Nes, Gil Marco Shani, Rona Yefman, Michal Chelbin, Hiro Yumita,
  Michelangelo Consani, Donatella Di Cicco; Souvenirs d’un pays lointain: Gruppo A12, Connie Dekker,
  Luca Malgeri, Herbert Reyes, Addo Lodovico Trinci; Film: Bethan Huws, Mark Lewis, Pascale Marthine
  Tayou, Surasi Kusolwong.
• 2004 Video presentation Zeeland (solo exhibition)
  GHL Middelburg, Paesi Bassi
• 2004 Sonde
  Museum per l’Arte Contemporanea, Palazzo Fabroni, Pistoia, IT / catalogue
• 2003 Uscita Pistoia
  Gallery SpazioA, Pistoia / catalogue, IT / catalogue
• 2003 Les vacances
  Curator: Frank Starik, Società Arti et Amicitae, Amsterdam, Paesi Bassi
• 2003 Moto in luogo
  La Rocca di Carmignano, Cantiere d’Arte Alberto Moretti, Carmignano / catalogue
  Curator: Saretto Cincinelli
  Artists:
  Bernhard Rudiger, Paolo Parisi, Liliana Moro, Paolo Fabiani, Connie Dekker, David Casini, Massimo
  Barzagli e Luisa Cortesi
• 2002 Deep in the water… (solo exhibition)
  Patrizia Pepe, Tessilform, Capalle, Firenze, IT
• 2001 Abitanti
  Curator: Bruno Corá, Palazzo Fabroni, Pistoia, IT / catalogue
• 2001 Glaubst du… (Exposition Personelle)
  Gallery Dryphoto, Prato, IT
• 2000 Sans Papier
  Foundation Het Consortium, Amsterdam, Paesi Bassi
  Artists:
  Walter van Broekhuizen, Kinke Kooi, Jans Muskee, Serge Onnen, Roland Sohier, Joris Wille, Connie
  Dekker
• 2000 “Waiting” (solo exhibition)
  Foundation Caesuur, Middelburg, Paesi Bassi
• 1999 (R)Entree
  Foundation de Paraplufabriek, Nijmegen / catalogue, Paesi Bassi
  Curriculum 3 Vitae Connie Dekker 2020
• 1997 Battaglie
  Curator: Paolo Fabiani, Piazza Landini, Pratovecchio, IT
• 1997 Casa mia é casa tua
  Gallery Margiacchi, Arezzo, IT
• 1996 Tell me what time the weaver sleeps who spun the breaths of blue
  (solo exhibition)
  Gallery Gentili, Firenze, IT
• 1997 My gang will get you
  Curator: Walter Bartelings, Vrieshuis Amerika, Amsterdam, Paesi Bassi
  Curator: Walter Bartelings, Colesbukta, Spitsbergen / video
• 1996 INCESTOUS
  Curator: Tiong Ang,Thread Waxing Space, New York / video
  Curator: Tiong Ang, Proton ICA, Amsterdam, Paesi Bassi
• 1994 Borduren 2000
  Museum De Lakenhal, Leiden, Paesi Bassi / catalogue
  Curator: Doris Wintgens
  Artists:
  Christine en Irene Hohenbüchler, Arnoud Holleman, Antoniëtta Peeters, Berend Strik, Anna Verweij-
  Verschuure, Colette Whiten, Connie Dekker
• 1994 Borduren 2000
  Bergkerk, Deventer
• 1993 Prothesen
  Curator: Tiong Ang, Gallery Nouvelles Images, Di Aia, Paesi Bassi
• 1993 Time to time / Di volta in volta
  Curator: Saretto Cincinelli, Castello di Rivara, Rivara, IT
• 1992 Wiegelied (solo exhibition)
  Foundation Hooghuis, Arnhem, Paesi Bassi
• 1991 Un luogo da nessuna parte
  Curator: Saretto Cincinelli, Palestra Ex Gil, Montevarchi, IT / catalogue
• 1991 Evidenze Enigmatiche
  Curator: Saretto Cincinelli, Gallery Container, Firenze, IT
• 1991 Op water gebouwd
  Culturele Raad Goes, De Oude Vesten, Goes,Paesi Bassi / catalogue
• 1990 Unnatural Acts
  Curator: Thom Puckey, De Tuin, Beuninge, Paesi Bassi / catalogue
• 1990 Achilles
  Curator: Doris Wintgens, Chateau Groeneveld, Baarn, Paesi Bassi / catalogue
• 1989 Aula 1
  Curator: Fred Wagemans, Rijksakademie, Amsterdam, Paesi Bassi
  Sculpture in the public space
• 1996 Quo vadis, wilde vaart
  Middenweg 333, Watergraafsmeer, Amsterdam, Paesi Bassi
• 1995 Mijn huis is jouw huis
  Bozzetto per ‘t Zwanenmeer, Nieuw Vennep, Haarlemmermeer, Paesi Bassi
• 1989 Senza titolo
  Headoffice Natuurmonumenten “Schaep en Burgh”, ‘s Graveland, Paesi Bassi
  Curriculum 4 Vitae Connie Dekker 2020
  Some links
  I am delighted to be a part of a book by the Dutch graphic artist / artist Melle Hammer entitled ‘LaLaLa’
  with photo’s of my performance ‘The sky blows it, like this’. ‘LaLaLa’ was selected as one of the best
  made books of 2015
  https://raddraaier.nl/en/project/lalala-melle-hammer/
  https://issuu.com/mellehammer/docs/lalala_pages
  I lost al links and a lot of copies of articles in various art magazines. Here is what rests:
  https://www.macn.it/fr/collection/dekker-connie/
  https://www.artribune.com/report/2015/10/mostra-collettiva-disegno-casa-masaccio-san-giovannivaldarno/
  http://www.dryphoto.it/new/2004/spread-in-prato-2004

Bibliography
2020 Catalogue Are you at home? La Pléiade, Commentry
2020 Connie Dekker en campagne, Patrick Debowski, La Montagne
2019 La fresque des écoliers inaugurée, Montvicq, La Montagne
2015 Photography ‘Lo Sofia il cielo. Così’ nel libro ‘LaLaLa’, by Melle Hammer
2015 Catalogue Il Fantasmo del disegno, Casa Masaccio, San Giovanni Valdarno
2012 A passo d’uomo, contribution Connie to artist-book of Laura Facchini
2006 Catalogue Misure del tempo, MAC’N, Monsummano Terme
2004 Catalogue Spread in Prato, Pier Luigi Tazzi, Gallery Dryphoto
2004 Catalogue Uscita Pistoia, Pier Luigi Tazzi, Gallery Spazio Uno
2003 Catalogue Moto in luogo, Cantiere d’Arte Alberto Moretti/Gallery Schema, Carmignano
2001 Catalogue Abitanti, palazzo Fabroni, Arte Visive Contemporanee
2001 Connie Dekker, Saretto Cincinelli, Flash Art Italia.
2001 L’arte del ricamo, Tempestini, il Tirreno, Journal.
2000 Connie Dekker speelt met de tijd, PZC, J.D. van Scheyen
1997 Casa mia é casa tua, Saretto Cincinelli, Flash Art Italia, estate
1996 Connie Dekker, Alessandra Scappini, Flash Art Italia, ottobre
1996 Incestious, Video Tiong Ang
1995 Over de scherpte van de naald, Peggie Breitbarth, Tubantia
1995 Tegendraads borduurwerk, Deventer Dagblad
1995 Borduren 2000, Wim van Beek, Telegraaf
1995 Woede en spot op Borduren 2000, Lucette ter Borgh, NRC Handelsblad
1995 De kunst van Borduren, Doris Wintgens, Kunstbeeld
1994 Borduren 2000, Catalogue Museum De Lakenhal
1991 Un luogo da nessuna parte, Catalogue Saretto Cincinelli
1991 La pratica delle idee: la critica in mostra, S. Neri, Titolo
1991 Un luogo da nessuna parte, A. Mugnaini, Titolo
1991 Un luogo da nessuna parte, A. Tempi, Next
1991 Esercizi dello spirito e dell’arte etc., G. Pozzi, L’Unita
1991 Op Water Gebouwd, Catalogue Culturele Raad Goes
1991 Bij Goes ligt de kunst in de gracht, H. Kroon, Volkskrant
1990 Praktijkbureau 1989 en 1990
1990 Achilles, Catalogue Doris Wintgens
1990 Soms lijken sculpturen te zijn etc., B. Roodnat, NRC handelsblad
1990 Unnatural Acts, Catalogue Philip Peters
1987 De Prix de Rome, Catalogue Museum Fodor