van Haver’s practice is enlivened by bold and energetic murals of quotidian life. Opening small windows unto scenes of frivolity and family, van Haver resists the notion of voyeurism, curating authentic access into other worlds and spaces. In these dimly lit doorways and crowded rooms, van Haver realizes new and exciting connections and dialogue, igniting glimmers of recognition in her visceral and emotive displays. Her art candidly portrays her intimate circle at their most honest, familiar faces appearing in the comfort of their own homes, local haunts and beloved spots. In their personal anchoring to place and time, van Haver’s paintings delve into an exploration of global connectivity, where migration, cultural history and the ritualistic quality of day-to-day life underpins the unity of human existence.
Working mainly on burlap and combining oil paint with tar, chalk, resin, hair, paper, ash and even telephones,
bottle caps and beads to inspire heavily textured compositions, van Haver’s work explores identity, spirituality
and urbanism transnationality. Drawing from a myriad of personal encounters non-traditional materials become
yet another means to tell a narrative and communicate a sense of place and history. Often monumental in scale, what she terms as her “loud paintings” inspire intensely immersive experiences that continue to negotiate the postcolonial discourse around alienation and acceptance.
Biography
Born in 1989 in Bogota, Colombia, Raquel van Haver now lives and works in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Van
Haver graduated from the HKU University of the Arts in Utrecht, in 2012. Moving between the greater
Carribean from the Aliwaa collective in La Guajira in Colombia to the north of Ghana where she works on her
project Titambe, the glass workshops in Tamale, Ghana.
Solo exhibitions include ‘Spirits of the Soil’ at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, November 2018 and Amo A La
Reina’, 2021, at the Bonnefanten museum, Maastricht NL. This project was an extensive research into van
Haver’s own heritage and the status of female social leaders in the Colombian regions, forming an in-depth
investigation of womanhood more broadly.
Van Haver’s work has also been exhibited at the KINDL, Berlin, Museum de Fundatie, Zwolle, NL, Lagos photo
festival, Nigeria, BOZAR Centre for Fine Art, Brussels, Belgium, gallery Wedding, Berlin, GE and Fenix,
Rotterdam, NL.
In 2016 she was announced to be part of the Forbes30 under30 list and in 2019 she spoke during TedXwoman
in Amsterdam, NL. Winning the prestigious Dutch Royal Prize for Painting in 2018, Van Haver has gone on to
win the Amsterdam award in 2019, both prestigious accomplishments in the Netherlands.
She exhibited works from the Amo a la Reina serie not only in Maastricht but also at Breda Photo in Breda ,
NL and in Museo Bolivariano in Colombia. A documentary film was made by Bibi Fadlalla and was broadcasted
on Dutch television in 2020, called ‘The Women of My Country’.
In her latest Solo exhibition the artist transforms her solo practice and works together with her studio existing
out of 8 incredible makers.
As part of the programme Amsterdam 750 and the Amsterdam Museum, the artist shows ‘The Collateral Kin,
A wise man’s fear’, a brand new solo exhibition. The exhibition reimagines Amsterdam’s historic group portraits for today. Depicting 120 change makers, activist, artist, educators and more. In her monumental works she celebrates those who are shaping the city’s future. Created with traditional and contemporary techniques, the serie of she honours unheard voices and reflections on civic life. Through painting , photography and archiving text and images, van haver transforms collective memory in powerful living history. Not only does the serie ‘The Collateral Kin, A wise mans fear’ celebrate the city and her volunteers, but is also a critical note to the city and its administration.
Raquel on mentoring
Mentoring is primarily about connecting with your mentee and/or mentor. It’s a process that isn’t always immediately clear. It can be incredibly daunting if you have questions about your practice or its future, or if you want to implement changes in your practice but aren’t sure how. A mentor should always listen to your needs and questions and try to help you along the way. Whether this involves the creative process, developing applications, or approaching museums or buyers. Every individual has different needs.
In my work as an artist, sometimes as a teacher and/or mentor, I encounter many young artists who have just
graduated or are still working on their master’s or PhD. Everyone is on their own path. Therefore, I don’t stand by you as a teacher, but as an extra pair of eyes that help you see and think about your practice in a different way.
Ultimately, you have to forge your own path, but a mentor should always ask you to reflect on your choices so
you choose and follow the right path for yourself.