EUGENIE LIGTHART
sculptures
Heads in Cement: Between Fragility and Strength
My sculptures are a search for the essence of expression. Some heads emerge as a spontaneous tribute to Chaïm Soutine, whose raw, powerful brushstrokes and compelling portraits of ordinary people continue to captivate me. Others arise from unconscious thoughts or an inner urge—as if my hands instinctively know what needs to be created before my mind does.
The process of casting in cement demands compact, smooth forms without delicate details. Yet I can’t resist pushing those boundaries: a protruding ear, a slender neck, a curling lock of hair. It is precisely this delicate fragility contrasted with the unyielding material that makes the work so intriguing. The tension between softness and hardness, chance and control, gives each piece its own story.
Children's Portraits of Stories an Memory
This collection of ceramic sculptures and portraits was inspired by my sister’s stories of the Bleekneusjes—children sent to post-war vacation colonies to recover and regain their strength. Though intended as places of healing, these institutions often left deep emotional scars. The stories of these children, their vulnerability and resilience, became the foundation for this body of work.
Over time, the collection evolved into a family. The features of the portraits began to reflect not only the Bleekneusjes but also my own four sisters and myself. What started as a commemoration became a personal exploration of connection, memory, and the layered complexity of childhood—caught between light and shadow, recovery and remembrance.
