Theo Niermeyer, Sculpture (composition In Iron With Rust)

Theo Niermeyer,(1940-2005) Sculpture (composition in iron with rust) 39 x 21 x 17 cm. Provenance: Artists' studio, Plomion France Theo Niermeijer was a sculptor, painter, graphic designer, installation artist and architect. He was also a contemporary mystic. He trained in Amsterdam, Antwerp and Warsaw. Theo Niermeijer was a decisive man and a great traveler. One of his studios was located in the Zeeburg district of Amsterdam, the polluted area next to the new IJburg. A huge plot of land with sheds, more or less dilapidated cars, trucks and trailers. Hundreds of his sculptures were scattered inside and outside, among wrecks and nettles, leaning against trees and walls. He was sometimes called "the iron poet". Metal was his material: zinc and copper for engravings, stainless steel and oxidized iron (sheet metal) to create sculptures. Niermeijer’s sculptures are often abstract and made from salvaged materials found among the remains near shipyards. As was his great influence: the American-Japanese-Dutch artist Shinkichi Tajiri. The connection was also thematic, drawing inspiration from Buddhism. In his garden in Zeeburgereiland near Amsterdam and in the village of Plomion in northern France, he assembled scrap metal into three-dimensional sculptures with symbolic and meditative meanings, often with poetic or enigmatic titles that encourage reflection. The impact of time on the material – rust – was for him a necessary tool of expression. He also incorporated metal into his paintings and reliefs. In the characteristic 'rust drawings', the effects of rainwater on metal and paper are evident, similar to the rust on his sculptures. He travelled extensively in the United States, Iceland, North Africa and the Middle East. These travels had a significant influence on his work. He was a member of the Liga Nieuw Beelden and the Dutch Circle of Sculptors. He also travelled to the Far East, where he was influenced by Chinese and Buddhist philosophy. What he saw and experienced on his travels he incorporated into his art. Theo sought the wisdom that opened the way to enlightenment. 'Zen Buddhism is an invisible hand that stops thinking and helps you create from an endless sea of creative possibilities. You absolutely have to work hard, preferably every day, to keep the flow going and guide your eyes and hands.'