Where some see empty soda cans and Nespresso Capsules as items that should be tossed into the trash, Mariska sees art. It is for this reason that Mariska Nell started creating art that combines painted portraits and recycled materials.
Nespresso Capsules and soda cans were just a beginning of what Mariska has been able to repurpose using her art. Shopping bags, bottled water caps and even candy wrappers have all been part of the pieces that she creates to tell the stories of her subjects.
In one of her most recent creations, Mariska painted a portrait of a renowned Dubai based radio presenter and his two daughters. She then adds an emotional element to the portrait by creating a jigsaw puzzle effect using shredded pieces of paper from their favorite milk box.
Mariska Nell, visited Virgin Radio Dubai to deliver this custom artwork to Kris Fade of the Kris Fade Show. The artwork is a mixed medium of painted monochromatic portraits with the background made from repurposed Koita Foods packing to create a jigsaw puzzle effect illustrating how all the pieces fit together when we’re surrounded by family
“I want to create art that captures memories that can be touched. I start with painting portraits of my subjects using photos that I took, and then I add a third dimension of depth and texture using actual recycled materials. This is often the emotional part of the artwork. This way my work is both a piece of art and also an emotional memorabilia.” Says Mariska.
On 17th October, Mariska collaborated with Patagonia and exhibited her work in a private show hosted by ZSI Trading LLC. The exhibition, was held in Al Zarouni Building in Al Barsha and was open to the public on Wednesday 18th October (9am – 1pm) and Thursday 19th October (1pm – 5pm).
Mariska also hosted a workshops for adults on 18 th October and for children on the 19th.
“In this exhibition you will see a lot of paintings that represent the personal stories of my subjects. The painting tells you who the subject is and the background tells you the rest of the story” said Mariska before the launch of her solo event. “Many people come to me because they want to immortalize a memory. They might have a photo of their wedding day and together I find items that mean a lot to the couple and use these to create a piece of art that is unique.” She added.
“ZSI is honored to work with Mariska Nell and support a local environment project. We truly believe that art and recycling brings together a great concept, change minds and inspire people.” Said Dewald Van Der Wath, the General Manager of ZSI Trading LLC
“When we met Mariska, her art spoke to us. She is able to see a deep meaning in items that other people would throw away. In this exhibition we hope that more people will see that it is possible to recycle and repurpose in very creative ways. And that more artists will be encouraged to share their art.” Says Lillian Kithia, the Executive Director of SPARK Publicity, the agency that handles Mariska’s publicity.
