Artist Bio
Marcel Heijnen is a visual artist, designer and musician. Originally from the Netherlands, Asia has been his home since 1992. Marcel’s creativity is driven by a general curiosity about life and its meaning. He currently uses photography as the main medium for his art, exploring its boundaries in a quest for beauty and expression that goes beyond realism, but gets perhaps a little closer to truth.
Over the past few years he has had solo exhibitions at Month of Photography Asia, Vue Privée and Galeri Utama. He has participated in numerous group shows and the Affordable Art Fairs in both Singapore and Hong Kong and The PAN and Kunstrai in The Netherlands. He is represented by Koster Fine Art in The Netherlands and Artyze in Hong Kong.
Marcel has books published by AsiaOne, Licht Ltd and has recently been signed by Thames & Hudson.
Books
Shop Cats of China, Thames & Hudson, 2021
Shop Cats of Hong Kong, Thames & Hudson, 2021
Spot The Shop Cat, Licht Ltd, 2020
Hong Kong Garage Dogs, Licht Ltd, 2018
Hong Kong Market Cats, Licht Ltd, 2017
Hong Kong Shop Cats, AsiaOne, 2016
Residue, AsiaOne, 2013
Exhibitions
2021
Shop Cats, Artyze, Hong Kong
Kunstrai Art Fair, Koster Fine Art, Amsterdam
Bloom, Amanda Wei Gallery, Hong Kong
Residue, Artyze, Hong Kong
2020
Xoloplastics, Group Exhibition, Soho House, Hong Kong
2018
Post No Bills, Solo Exhibition, PolyU School of Design, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Garage Dogs Book Launch & Exhibition, Blue Lotus Gallery, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Garage Dogs Exhibition, Back Sugar, Hong Kong
2017
Hong Kong Market Cats Book Launch & Solo Exhibition, Yu Lok Lane, Hong Kong
2016
Affordable Art Fair, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Shop Cats Book Launch & Solo Exhibition, Blue Lotus Gallery, Hong Kong
PAN Art Fair, Eduard Planting Gallery, Amsterdam
2015
Destruction & Rebirth, Group Exhibition, The Mill, Singapore
Affordable Art Fair Singapore
Orangefield, Solo Exhibition, One Fullerton, Singapore
Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong
2014
Affordable Art Fair Singapore
Milan Image Art Fair, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong
Residue Book Launch & Solo Exhibition, Artistry Gallery, Singapore
2013
Affordable Art Fair Singapore
Urban Living: The Future Is Not What It Used To Be, Group Exhibition, Raffles City, Singapore
Samsung Masterpieces, Group Exhibition, Singapore National Museum
Asia Contemporary Art Show, Hong Kong
All About Hong Kong, Group Exhibition, AO Vertical, Hong Kong
Displacements, Group Exhibition, 13 Wilkie Terrace, Singapore
Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong
2012
Hollandsche Nieuwe, Group Exhibition, Artistry, Singapore
Redress, Group Exhibition, ION Gallery, Singapore
Affordable Art Fair Singapore
Asia Contemporary Art Show, Hong Kong
Residue 2.0, Solo Exhibition, Galeri Utama, Singapore
Changing Rooms, Group Exhibition, DAiS, Singapore
2011
Artist of the Month, Solo Exhibition, Vue Privée, Singapore
DAiS, Group Exhibition, Going Dutch, Singapore
Unshakeable, Group Exhibition, Light Editions, Singapore
Stockroom Group Exhibition, Yavuz Fine Arts, Singapore
2010
Residue, Solo Exhibition, Month of Photography Asia,
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Revolve, Group Exhibition, Objectifs, Singapore
In Her Shoes, Group Exhibition, Sculpture Square, Singapore
2009
Shooting Home, Group Exhibition, Objectifs, Singapore
About the Residue Singapore series
by Shirlene Noordin, Festival Director Month of Photography Asia
Residue is a series of works by Dutch photographer, Marcel Heijnen that speaks volumes about the notion of impermanence, which is nowhere more evident than in Singapore – where the urban landscape is continually being redefined, where the city skyline is perpetually in the making and where roads frequently shift to make way for the manic change. Construction sites mushroom overnight to replace what was once a vacant block of flats, open fields transform into new building sites, with no time for the remaining symbols of the past to linger as a reminder of what once was.
Heijnen trawled through Singapore’s urban centres in search of traces, of remnants, of residues of a past but quickly discovered the overpowering and constant change in many aspects of Singapore living. Instead of lamenting a loss and projecting a longing for nostalgia in his photographs, he embraced the condition of impermanence, understanding that constant change and alteration is inevitable. Choosing to focus on public housing blocks in various parts of Singapore’s heartlands, Heijnen juxtaposes them against weathered walls and, employing a technique involving reflections, he captures a moment in which the walls come together with the flats as one seamless image. The result of this is a series of images featuring buildings undergoing the process of being erased – the peeling walls having merged into the image of the flats lend a sense that the buildings themselves are slowly disintegrating. This forces the viewer to contemplate the permanence or rather, the impermanence, of even the most ubiquitous aspect of the Singapore urban landscape.
Underlying this series is a strong sense of beauty inherent in that which is ephemeral. It heightens our appreciation of the notion that change whether brought on by man or Mother Nature, is a certainty we face.
Marcel Heijnen is a visual artist, designer and musician. Originally from the Netherlands, Asia has been his home since 1992. Marcel’s creativity is driven by a general curiosity about life and its meaning. He currently uses photography as the main medium for his art, exploring its boundaries in a quest for beauty and expression that goes beyond realism, but gets perhaps a little closer to truth.
Over the past few years he has had solo exhibitions at Month of Photography Asia, Vue Privée and Galeri Utama. He has participated in numerous group shows and the Affordable Art Fairs in both Singapore and Hong Kong and The PAN and Kunstrai in The Netherlands. He is represented by Koster Fine Art in The Netherlands and Artyze in Hong Kong.
Marcel has books published by AsiaOne, Licht Ltd and has recently been signed by Thames & Hudson.
Books
Shop Cats of China, Thames & Hudson, 2021
Shop Cats of Hong Kong, Thames & Hudson, 2021
Spot The Shop Cat, Licht Ltd, 2020
Hong Kong Garage Dogs, Licht Ltd, 2018
Hong Kong Market Cats, Licht Ltd, 2017
Hong Kong Shop Cats, AsiaOne, 2016
Residue, AsiaOne, 2013
Exhibitions
2021
Shop Cats, Artyze, Hong Kong
Kunstrai Art Fair, Koster Fine Art, Amsterdam
Bloom, Amanda Wei Gallery, Hong Kong
Residue, Artyze, Hong Kong
2020
Xoloplastics, Group Exhibition, Soho House, Hong Kong
2018
Post No Bills, Solo Exhibition, PolyU School of Design, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Garage Dogs Book Launch & Exhibition, Blue Lotus Gallery, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Garage Dogs Exhibition, Back Sugar, Hong Kong
2017
Hong Kong Market Cats Book Launch & Solo Exhibition, Yu Lok Lane, Hong Kong
2016
Affordable Art Fair, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Shop Cats Book Launch & Solo Exhibition, Blue Lotus Gallery, Hong Kong
PAN Art Fair, Eduard Planting Gallery, Amsterdam
2015
Destruction & Rebirth, Group Exhibition, The Mill, Singapore
Affordable Art Fair Singapore
Orangefield, Solo Exhibition, One Fullerton, Singapore
Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong
2014
Affordable Art Fair Singapore
Milan Image Art Fair, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong
Residue Book Launch & Solo Exhibition, Artistry Gallery, Singapore
2013
Affordable Art Fair Singapore
Urban Living: The Future Is Not What It Used To Be, Group Exhibition, Raffles City, Singapore
Samsung Masterpieces, Group Exhibition, Singapore National Museum
Asia Contemporary Art Show, Hong Kong
All About Hong Kong, Group Exhibition, AO Vertical, Hong Kong
Displacements, Group Exhibition, 13 Wilkie Terrace, Singapore
Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong
2012
Hollandsche Nieuwe, Group Exhibition, Artistry, Singapore
Redress, Group Exhibition, ION Gallery, Singapore
Affordable Art Fair Singapore
Asia Contemporary Art Show, Hong Kong
Residue 2.0, Solo Exhibition, Galeri Utama, Singapore
Changing Rooms, Group Exhibition, DAiS, Singapore
2011
Artist of the Month, Solo Exhibition, Vue Privée, Singapore
DAiS, Group Exhibition, Going Dutch, Singapore
Unshakeable, Group Exhibition, Light Editions, Singapore
Stockroom Group Exhibition, Yavuz Fine Arts, Singapore
2010
Residue, Solo Exhibition, Month of Photography Asia,
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Revolve, Group Exhibition, Objectifs, Singapore
In Her Shoes, Group Exhibition, Sculpture Square, Singapore
2009
Shooting Home, Group Exhibition, Objectifs, Singapore
About the Residue Singapore series
by Shirlene Noordin, Festival Director Month of Photography Asia
Residue is a series of works by Dutch photographer, Marcel Heijnen that speaks volumes about the notion of impermanence, which is nowhere more evident than in Singapore – where the urban landscape is continually being redefined, where the city skyline is perpetually in the making and where roads frequently shift to make way for the manic change. Construction sites mushroom overnight to replace what was once a vacant block of flats, open fields transform into new building sites, with no time for the remaining symbols of the past to linger as a reminder of what once was.
Heijnen trawled through Singapore’s urban centres in search of traces, of remnants, of residues of a past but quickly discovered the overpowering and constant change in many aspects of Singapore living. Instead of lamenting a loss and projecting a longing for nostalgia in his photographs, he embraced the condition of impermanence, understanding that constant change and alteration is inevitable. Choosing to focus on public housing blocks in various parts of Singapore’s heartlands, Heijnen juxtaposes them against weathered walls and, employing a technique involving reflections, he captures a moment in which the walls come together with the flats as one seamless image. The result of this is a series of images featuring buildings undergoing the process of being erased – the peeling walls having merged into the image of the flats lend a sense that the buildings themselves are slowly disintegrating. This forces the viewer to contemplate the permanence or rather, the impermanence, of even the most ubiquitous aspect of the Singapore urban landscape.
Underlying this series is a strong sense of beauty inherent in that which is ephemeral. It heightens our appreciation of the notion that change whether brought on by man or Mother Nature, is a certainty we face.