Jildau Nijboer - Exhibition George Verberg Grant

In addition to taking up residencies, she stayed in Soviet flats to investigate these spaces from the inside. Through this architecture with its layers, staircases, atmospheres and stories, she experienced a world of portals. She saw contemporary life unfold between the frames formed by history. A dialogue developed with the inhabitants of these spaces.

"During these months, I became intrigued by the minimal but often colourful metal structures I saw through the windows of Soviet apartments," she said. The Soviet playground was scattered throughout the so-called 'sleeping districts' [neighbourhoods where Soviet workers only came to sleep, ed.] and became part of my research. The exhibition is a visual processing of this journey."

With fragments from inside and outside, Nijboer invites visitors to make connections and perceive from their own and others' perspectives.

About Jildau Nijboer

Nijboer studied at Minerva Art Academy and the Frank Mohr Institute, where she completed her master's degree in Painting cum laude in 2022. In February 2023, she won the last George Verberg Grant.

In her work, observation plays a central role. As humans, we all look, but what do we actually see? By playing with frames or frameworks, Nijboer directs the viewer's gaze and opens a path to exploring new perspectives. The frame does not restrict, but rather enlarges the gaze, like a prism into which the spectrum in perception fans out. Thus, she uses the frame as an instrument to look into the unknown, explore the dynamics of different worlds and incorporate them into installations, paintings and sculptures.

Practical information

Opening: Thursday, April 4, 7:00 p.m.
Exhibition: April 4 - 19, 2024
Location: Praediniussingel 59, Koepelzaal
Opening hours: Mon to Thu: 9 - 21, Fri: 9 - 18
Entrance: Free

Groninger Visual Arts Stipends

The George Verberg Grant and the Hendrik de Vries Grant will be succeeded by two new Groninger Visuals Arts Stipends; Land and Horizon. In collaboration with the Municipality of Groningen and Kunstpunt Groningen, the new stipends will be awarded annually to stimulate the artistic development and cultural entrepreneurship of upcoming, promising visual artists and designers. The stipends encourage new work that can make a meaningful contribution to contemporary art in the Netherlands.  More information