About

Respect and Integrity are part of a series of seven sculptures inspired by the Samurai Values – traditional Japanese principles that guided both the mindset and the actions of the Samurai: Respect, Integrity, Honor, Loyalty, Honesty, Compassion, and Courage.

Not only the meaning of the sculptures, but also their visual language is rooted in these values. In each sculpture – sometimes clearly, sometimes almost imperceptibly – there is a reference to the Japanese/Kanji characters that represent these values.

I’ve always been fascinated by what the cardinal or Christian virtues mean for a society (Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance – later complemented by Faith, Hope, and Love). And for a long time, I wanted to give them embodiment – something you can see, touch, walk around. Something that might move people. This series on the Samurai Values brought all of that together for me.

I believe both the cardinal/Christian virtues and the Samurai Values are about an inner compass.

But where the classical virtues focus primarily on inner balance and living a morally sound life, the Samurai Values are more concretely connected to action. To loyalty. To making choices when things get difficult.

They call us to act – with heart and backbone – to take a stand, even under pressure.

They combine strength with gentleness, discipline with empathy, honor with compassion – a rare balance.

The Samurai Values don’t ask: “What is good?” They ask: “Who are you in this situation?”
And: “Are you loyal – to your word, your values, your compass – even when it’s hard?”

That’s what makes them so powerful to me, especially in today’s world. They are not abstract or moralizing – they are clear. They help remind us of who we want to be, and what we stand for.

I believe these values – now more than ever – are incredibly relevant.

Respect and Integrity are not relics of another time. They belong to all times. And perhaps they are more needed now than ever before. Many people today experience a loss of moral anchors. These values resonate on a personal level, in relationships, in communities – and in society as a whole.

Respect – not as politeness, but as truly acknowledging the other.
Integrity – not as propriety, but as a deep inner principle.

In that sense, they also align with the theme of this year’s ArtZuid edition: Enlightenment.

Because enlightenment is not just about light. It is also about clarity. Insight. Letting go of noise.

Daring to choose what truly matters. The simplicity and strength of values.

Written by Carin Scholten

For this eighth edition of ARTZUID artist Jasper Krabbé has been selected as curator.

After studying literature at Leiden University, Carin Scholten continued her studies at the National Academy of Arts & Design in New York and at Chelsea School of Art in London during the early 1990's and worked in shared sculpture and painting studios in both cities.

The fragile balance between man and nature — more than ever under pressure from a growing world population and the depletion of natural resources — is one of the central themes in Carin Scholten's oeuvre, as well as the search — in these turbulent times — for serenity, balance, beauty, and optimism.

This is also evident in the sculpture The Journey, which is exhibited at ARTZUID 2023. The vulnerable balance and inseparable connection between man and nature are clearly discernible, both in the coherence between the elements of the sculpture, and in the merging of human and animal in the figure.

While The Journey refers to the importance of this comprehensive concept, the sculpture also alludes to the balance of the individual. With social media often presenting an intrusive image of what 'the ideal life' should look like, reality and fiction are often difficult to distinguish, and it is not always easy to find the sought-after balance or live 'the ideal life'. In a world of overrated pleasures and underrated treasures, reflection and connection with nature can create a clearer perspective on the core of our existence. What is life really about, what is the purpose of our existence, what makes us unique as individuals, and what can our unique contribution to this world be?

The Journey portrays the serenity, strength, perseverance, and optimism that make life, with all its challenges, above all an inspiring and fulfilling journey.

Carin Scholten's work is represented by Galerie Helga Hofman.

For this seventh edition of ARTZUID Ralph Keuning, director of Museum de Fundatie and Kasteel het Nijenhuis, has been selected as curator.

"Especially now in a time of strong opinions and hard discussions, an open meeting place of art is important. The work of the artists participating in ARTZUID is both activistic and contemplative and very diverse. It is precisely this pluriformity, artistic and ideological, that provides material for discussion and encourages reflection on current social themes." (Source: website ARTZUID)

After graduating from Leiden University, Carin Scholten continued her studies in the nineties at the National Academy of Arts & Design in New York and at Chelsea School of Art and worked in shared sculpture and painting studios in New York and London.

In the oeuvre of Carin Scholten, central themes are the search for serenity, balance and the fragile equilibrium between man and nature. In the creation of a domain in which all elements are in harmony with each other, she goes to great lengths. Sculpturally, a few millimeters difference between the original model and the finished sculpture could disturb the intended sense of equilibrium. That which appears to be quite natural or rather simple to do, is often more complicated in practice. The representation of a fragile balance requires optimal attention, concentration and dedication.

The mythical figures seem to exist in a parallel universe where 'unearthly' rules and laws of physics apply. But at the same time, these fantasy figures reflect a dreamed reality in which serenity, beauty, optimism and a strong connection between man and nature are the most important values.

In the sculptures which are shown at ArtZuid 2021, a clear parallel can be distinguished with the last lines of the unrivaled song text 'Imagine' by John Lennon (by which the theme of ArtZuid 2021 has been inspired): I hope someday you will join us / and the world will be as one.

In the same spirit, the synergetic sculptures by Carin Scholten refer to a new world in which all living creatures live alongside each other in well balanced harmony: Paradise Regained. About this theme, the English poet John Milton wrote a poem which was published in 1671. It is an implicit reference to the epic poem 'Paradise Lost'. The awareness that mankind finds itself on the verge of a new world is more topical now than ever. Scholten confronts us with a visionary reality which Lennon and Milton also envisaged. Her incarnate visualizations of universal and timeless ideals offer a hopeful perspective on a better world.

Carin Scholten's work is currently exhibited by Galerie Helga Hofman, and could earlier be viewed at the PAN Amsterdam, in Huis Schuylenburch (The Hague) and during the Art for Impact exhibition at the Hermitage in Amsterdam.

Written by Wim van der Beek (writer/art critic)

OPENING ACT: EN AVANT!

The curtain goes up. The stage is empty, the lights are dimmed. Suddenly, a dark brown rhinoceros crosses the stage, galloping from right to left. On his wide strong back, an elegant figure with long flowing ears is sprinting in the same direction, its arms waiving. The public can see her with one leg stretched out behind her and the other leg firmly planted on the big animal's back. Although her posture reminds of the arabesque dance movement, she is not dancing, she is running. Her tall, slender form, with rounded muscular buttocks, very long ears and stretched out limbs make her seem an apparition from an imaginary world. On the back of the colossal rhinoceros, this agile figure storms into reality.

What is this, what does this mean, this grotesque pair consisting of a dangerous animal and a marvelous being with feminine traits? These are not actors in a play, this is the bronze reality of the sculpture En Avant! (2017) by Carin Scholten. This running pair is in stark contrast with the usually quiet combinations of man and horse we are familiar with, such as the equestrian bronzes that have for centuries followed in the tradition of the statue of Marcus Aurelius that can be found on the Capitol in Rome (176 AD.).

Even though the rhinoceros, which in its natural state weighs between two and four thousand pounds, has been reduced to a friendly size and weight with its belly resting on a bronze rod which is firmly fixed to a hardstone base, it nevertheless surges ahead, just like the gracious figure it carries on its back.

ACT 1: TABLEAU DE LA TROUPE

En Avant! (2017) is the opening sculpture of the exhibition Voyage de l'Esprit and introduces us to a series of eighteen dynamic sculptures that animate and enhance each other by their collective presence. They present us with all sorts of human and animal combinations. Ecstatic hybrid female figures run, dance or are trying to find their balance, supported by moving, dancing, soaring, galloping or immobile wild animals. Elephant, warthog, rhinoceros or bear are anatomically modelled after nature. They provide the supporting organic platform on which the gracious human/animal creatures perform their skillful acrobatic movements.

Some of the animals are completely immobile. On the back of a young rhinoceros, which seems to be waiting patiently, a figure is seated while carrying a second figure on her head, who performs a dance move that once again seems to be inspired by the arabesque ballet movement.

Such towers of human and animalistic figures have seldom occurred in the thousands of years of sculptural history. An exception is the mannerist sculpture Abduction of a Sabine Woman (1583) by Giambologna, which can be admired in the Loggia dei Lanzi at the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy. The upward spiral of three interacting figures can, just like the sculptures by Carin Scholten, be admired from all sides, which further enhances the experience of movement and entanglement.

In other sculptures, female fable figures make an appearance, which do not exhibit any energetic movements. On the contrary, they are standing completely still and are carrying a young tapir or hippopotamus in their arms, while on their head an arabesque is performed. The stacked sculpture Le Petit Sanglier (2017) portrays a lofty female figure, with protruding ears and long curved horns, who carries a young wild boar, while an elegant human/animal figure is maintaining its balance on her head.

ACT 2: GROTESQUE

The bronze sculptures of realistic, voluminous wild animals in combination with energetically moving feather light fable figures present a surprising spectacle which, due to the wondrous impression these capricious silhouettes leave behind, can be referred to as grotesque.

This grotesqueness predominantly surfaces in the shape of the dancing, running and soaring fantasy figures which represent a fusion of disproportionate female and animal characteristics. With their extended limbs, these unreal creatures show features which are far removed from the beauty ideals of the classical world, but are indeed fascinating because of the deviation from these ideals. The slender and remarkably agile fable figures, which sport limbs, ears and horns that appear to be derived from a variety of animals such as hare, deer, and antelopes, make a fantastical impression due to these features. These imaginative creatures bring to mind the mythical hybrid creatures from the classics such as harpies, fauns, sphinxes, Centaurs and sirens.

Moreover, the grotesque manifests itself in the unexpected symbiosis of these mobile heterogeneous creatures with voluminous wild animals. Apart from that, the grotesque also shows in the deformations and exaggerations of the human body and its limbs, i.e. the very slim torso, the unnaturally long ears, the rounded buttocks, the very slim and very long limbs and their extensions.

The use of grotesque distortion of reality offers the opportunity to freely explore and go against generally accepted standards and thus distance oneself from societal conventions. The Colombian painter Fernando Botero applied this concept in his portraits of people, which he depicted as extremely corpulent. Although the weight of the people portrayed is grossly exaggerated, Botero views these figures as the real people instead of the caricatures they appear to be. In The Rape of Europa (1995), the grotesque element of the scene can be observed in the strange combination of a wild animal, i.e. Zeus in the shape of a bull, with the chubby Europa whom he abducted clinging to one of his horns.

ACT 3: THEATRICAL AND CHOREOGRAPHIC POSES

The lively fable figures Carin Scholten created exhibit a wide variety of artful movements and dance exercises which seem to have been inspired by classical ballet. These movements are performed on the basis of the organic platforms, provided by earthy wild animals in the shape of their back, head, nose or trunk. The acrobatic movements and ballet poses which appear in the sculptures are reminiscent of the varying ways in which artists in the past have drawn inspiration from circus and ballet.

During the second halve of the nineteenth century and the first halve of the twentieth century, numerous artists found themselves intensely inspired by the ever so dynamic interactions between animals and humans. Painters and sculptors, from Daumier to Picasso, created fabulous works of art inspired by the entertainment provided by the circus. Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, Léger, Chagall and Calder attributed whole series of works to this theme. George Seurat even painted an acrobat who performs a miraculous pose on the back of a galloping horse, which seems to be flying with stretched-out legs. Examples of similarly unlikely compositions can be found in Carin Scholten's work.

Drawing on the imagination, Carin Scholten creates fabulous scenes through the synthesis of realistic and grotesque elements and figures. Freed of the laws of physics and limitations of circus and theatre, the rhinoceroses, elephants and other heavyweight animals are, together with their gracious companions, the actors in a fantastical performance.

Sculpture is a special form of spatial art, which is closely connected to ballet, because in both art forms the human body takes center stage. In other words: sculpture can be seen as 'ballet that came to a halt' and ballet as 'sculpture in motion'. Rodin was an expert on this. His plaster study Mouvement de danse, Pas de deux ailé A sur oeuf, of after 1911 which was cast in bronze in 1970 for the Musée Rodin, depicts a dancing pair with their bodies entwined, on two legs, of which one is balancing on an egg. It is not known whether or not Rodin consciously applied this concept of the incorporation of several moments in time with regard to this sculpture. A convincing or tangible movement in sculpture is the result of the successful unison of these moments in time, a summary of 'snapshots' which evokes the suggestion of what came before and what will follow.

In the series of bronzes Voyage de l'Esprit the depiction of movement is a tool used to express a variety of human emotions. As the titles of the sculptures suggest, the gracious movements of classical ballet have been an inspiration for the sculptress. However, the theme of these sculptures is not ballet or dancing as such. The fluid, gracious movements appear to be a metaphor for what the sculptress aims to express.

Arabesque (2017) shows the execution of the eponymous dance exercise by a virtuoso fable figure who balances on one leg on the head of a bear while lifting the other leg backward. Along those same lines, the airborne split in Grand Jeté (2017), a dance movement which is also developed in the two versions of The Lightness of Being (2018), evokes the sensation of movement, in which the figures radiate a strong forward movement and force. The title of the sculpture Pas de Deux (2017) also refers to ballet, even though such a pose will not likely be observed on the stage of a dance theatre. Therefore, this title can be interpreted as a reflection of the perfect harmony which is required in order to attain extraordinary accomplishments. Similarly, Pas de Deux also refers to the delicate but vital equilibrium which is demonstrated when two persons simultaneously perform ballet exercises on two horses while galloping around an arena.

ACT 4: CREATION IN TWO SPEEDS

The energetic movements performed by the figures in these bronzes emanate agility. The duos and threesomes carry out their actions with great speed. But were they also created with the same speed? Yes and no. Carin Scholten models the first setup in wax with considerable speed. The deep brown wax, which already resembles the color and appearance of the eventual bronzes, is being applied intuitively and spontaneously to a skeleton of bendable aluminium or more sturdy steel wire, as the tender or lean flesh of an intended animal or dreamed fantasy figure.

But the journey from wax model to bronze sculpture is long and consequently needs to be traveled with precision and patience. The power of the finished sculpture depends on the meticulous execution of the details, in order for the sculpture as a whole to be well balanced. Moreover, a sculpture needs to exude a certain tension or energy, which appears to be dependent on minute differences during the final stages of the modeling process. Then, the labor-intensive process of casting in bronze begins. After a short rest in a cooled antechamber, a silicone mold is created, which allows the sculpture to be cast several times, and in which a new positive wax model is molded. This wax model then needs to be corrected for imperfections and visible remainders of the seams from the mold need to be eliminated before the casting mold can be created, in which the boiling hot liquid bronze will be poured.

After cooling down, the individual elements of the sculpture, which is usually cast in two separate parts, are welded together. The finishing touches include the smoothening of the 'skin' of the sculpture and the application of a patina. Next is the title, which often refers to the dynamic nature of the sculptures, while the same dynamic figures are immortalized in an ultra-conservative and indestructible material, which does not allow for any movement at all.

ACT 5: MOVEMENT IN ETERNAL BRONZE

In bronze, movements are of course not actually performed but suggested and expressed through the nature of the postures of the performers, the positioning of their robust feet and the expressive gestures of their elastic arms and legs with the lean muscles of ethereal beings. The dynamism of the various scenes is further emphasized by the contradictions between immobility and movement, between standing still and storming ahead, between leaning on and soaring.

Not only is the impression of movement and mobility created by the sculpture as on object in itself, but also by mobilizing the observation of the differences in the surface of the bronze, its position on the base and the alternating perspective of the viewer. The static metal rod on the hardstone base suggests that the sculptures can revolve around their axis. The rough surface, full of visual movement as a result of the interplay of light and shadow which contrasts with the smoother and glowing skin of the fable figures, makes that the observer's gaze involuntarily moves back and forth between the players in these scenes. The viewer is invited to move around the sculpture and experience the different perspectives in order to mobilize the visual perception.

CLOSING ACT: RISING UP TO THE SKY

With regard to these sculptures of wild animals and feminine fantasy figures in the oeuvre of Carin Scholten one may wonder in which stage of the action they have been depicted. Or are there several fruitful moments of action that have been captured in the unique moment of one sculpture, which immortalizes all movement in one immovable sculpture? When something or someone moves, the question is raised where they came from, where they are going, but above all where are they now?

The galloping rhinoceros that opened this narrative is still running. The athlete takes advantage of the movement. She carefully moves her foot in exactly the right position to take a great big leap. Using the animal beneath her for acceleration, she is able to gain relatively more speed than the rhinoceros that exits the stage at full speed. It seems as if she is running on a high-speed boat. She takes off, swings her leg forward, continues rising up to the sky, and is by now surely soaring through the universe. When this extraordinary pair disappears backstage, the public is left behind marveled and full of admiration.

Written by Gijs van Tuijl

In the imaginative world of Carin Scholten, almost anything is possible. She introduces us to rhinoceroses, elephants and warthogs that adopt remarkable acrobatic poses. They often act as bearers of fabulous creatures that possess both human and animalistic physical traits. A first introduction to her animalistic sculptures quickly reveals that something strange is happening. No matter how unlikely the poses and depictions are, they all appear to be utterly natural, uncomplicated and realistic. The ability to make the impossible turn into reality underlies the magic of the sculptures that Carin Scholten created over the past few years and in which she expresses her personal emotions and imagination.

In the energetic, expressive oeuvre of Carin Scholten, imaginative power is perceived as a game and expertly employed as a tool to blur the edges between fantasy and reality. Elements of fables, parables, myths and legends naturally merge into a lighthearted cycle of metaphorical sculptures that illustrate the sculptress' positive attitude and view of life. The sculptures emphasize that life is enjoyable or exciting, pleasantly challenging, and at times even delightful, euphoric or ecstatic. The complete spectrum of emotions is so credibly depicted, that the distinction between reality and fantasy become invisible. Human and animalistic characteristics harmoniously blend, as in an esoteric allegory. These recent sculptures can be perceived as a metaphor for a lighthearted way of life with a wink and a nod to reality. Lack of perspective makes life unnecessarily tough. This notion continuously presents itself when observing Carin Scholten's work.

Art offers her the ideal means to get a grip on the discrepancies between wish and reality, dream and action, perception and practice. Her fantasy animals demonstrate the desire to float like a feather in the wind, or to frolic light-footedly through the world, as gazelles, roe deer and antelopes do. The sculptress created her own interpretation of the mythological centaur: a figure in which man and animal assimilate into a gracious creature: halve man, halve animal. Limbs and horns, the antlers or the protruding ears are derived from hare, antelopes, capricorns, gazelles, or deer.

In combination with a slender female torso, the animalistic body parts give shape to elegant figures that move through live, carefree and dynamically. They exude sensuality and a zest for life. They are elusive and reveal creatures of breathtaking elegance and beauty.

In the oeuvre of Carin Scholten, mythological human-animalistic figures act independently as well as in combination with rhinoceroses, elephants, warthogs and other weighty primordial animals, which, through their weight and volume, emanate primordiality and a strong connection with the earth. The butterfly-like and slender mythological lightweights are often literally carried by grounded heavyweights that constitute a solid foundation for the light-footed escapades of the seemingly weightless personifications of the human longing for light, air, space, freedom and harmony. The sturdy and steadfast base which is provided by the surprisingly lithe heavy-weights, guarantees the required equilibrium between extremes that literally and figuratively touch each other. The mutual connection between these extremes symbolizes the perfect balance in a happy, dynamic and adventurous life.

With great diligence and dedication Carin Scholten models these "double-figures," which consist of animals with diverging characteristics who merge into a new entity without forsaking their peculiarities, quirks and original identity. The dual entity embodies a perfect synthesis. The sculptures have subtly been modeled, working from the assumption that no frictions or discrepancies exist when beauty and positive energy are perceived as saviors of the world. While working on her models in wax, the sculptress is aware that metamorphoses, enchanting appearances and unusual transformation processes contribute to imaginative image formation in which the distinction between fiction and fact dissolves. As her sculptures are voluminous as well as fragile, they give the impression that the dimensions of the movements are entirely natural. The experience of freedom is exquisitely sublimated.

In literary art, "personification" indicates a unique type of imagery. Abstract concepts, lifeless objects or animals are being infused with human character traits. In the work of Carin Scholten, this type of spiritual relocation also occurs. Her animalistic sculptures reveal human character traits. The figures think and act as humans without losing their specific animalistic appearance and characteristics. These animal figures are dynamic and possess Dionysian traits. This does not surprise, as the originally Thracian god Dionysus enjoyed a close connection with the animal world. He was raised by nymphs in the mythical land of Nysa and was, besides being the god of wine, also the god of budding nature. Animals attributed to him include the panther, tiger, lynx, donkey and dolphin. Carin Scholten also operates within this mythological force field. She knows her classics. In her own style, she combines personal passion with the pursuit of perfection.

A fascination for the lightness of being and the radiance of positive energy form the silver thread that runs through the animal epic that Carin Scholten created. The sculptures are a metaphor for the desire for freedom the sculptress has been experiencing since her youth. Although she initially followed a different course (she studied German Language and Literature at Leiden University, The Netherlands), she invariably felt the need to substantiate her yearning for freedom. During her student days, this desire lead to all sorts of creative activities and experiments. In the end, it was inevitable that her passion for creating prevailed. Sculpting classes in Ad Jenner's studio in Utrecht, The Netherlands, and consecutive studies at the National Academy of Arts & Design in New York and Chelsea School of Arts in London led to the development of an authentic visual language and an autonomous idiom, in which Carin Scholten can express infinitely subtle who she is, what she wants and what inspires her.

Written by Wim van der Beek (writer/art critic)