The ‘Natura’ series is a result of 25 years of experiments with art and design (digitally and physically) almost entirely behind closed doors. It is a profound ‘primal scream’.
Ide Claessen, born in 1972, emerges as a dynamic figure with a diverse professional journey that transcends conventional boundaries. Originating from Belgium, she initially carved a path for herself as an engineer, business executive, advisor, and digital designer. However strangely, her trajectory has evolved into that of a contemporary artist (expressionist).
Ide's educational foundation is deeply rooted in design and industrial sciences. Her curious pursuits led her to prestigious institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard Business School. At MIT and Harvard, she delved into business strategy, innovation, and technology, acquiring a multifaceted skill set that would later shape her unconventional artistic approach.
Raised with a profound connection to nature, creativity, art, education, and extensive traveling to remote corners around the globe, her upbringing and tracks served as fertile ground for her multidisciplinary development. This upbringing contributed to molding her into a complex and versatile individual, challenging categorization.
Inspiration for Ide's transformation can be traced to figures like Bijoy Jain, Ihlwa kim, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, who all navigated the world of business or production before or while transitioning into the realm of art. Koons, much like Ide, used business insights as a foundation for artistic expression. Additionally, the work of MIT professor and artist Neri Oxman left an indelible mark. Oxman's ability to seamlessly blend aesthetics, engineering, science, and mathematics into "material ecology" resonated with Ide's vision for interconnectedness in philosophy and economy. Ide aspires to bridge the perceived gaps between art, creativity, business, slowness, sanity and politics, infusing her work with elements of science, engineering, and design, all influenced by culture and nature—a concept she refers to as "The Krebs Cycle of creativity," inspired by Neri Oxman.
Ide's artistic endeavors reflect a deliberate and contemplative approach. Her work represents a deliberate departure from the growth and technocratic culture shaping contemporary worldviews and development. Paralleling her previous expressions in the digital realm, she is evolving into an interdisciplinary artist, demonstrating a keen sense of aesthetics while maintaining inviting. her creations are fluid but sanding and creaking. Ide Claessen's meditative oeuvre embodies the slow additive and subtractive layers of her perception, offering a unique expression on how the world, economics, and politics should be organized. Her artistic journey is a testament to her commitment to fostering awareness and reflection at the center of her creative endeavors.