Is it possible to be present and absent at the same time? In the world of Maeve van Klaveren (Amsterdam, 1977), it is. The figures in her work are not there – not really, in any case. Sometimes literally, because they are not depicted, only making their presence felt as a void or trace. Sometimes because they are so lost in thought that they seem to be elsewhere. They are quiet, creating space. And it is precisely this space that invites the viewer to recognize themselves in the image, or to see something else entirely. What you see is exactly as it should be.
This solo exhibition, featuring a selection of 11 works, is on view from 14 May to 25 October 2026 at Museum MORE in Gorssel.
The world up close
Alongside human figures, Van Klaveren also likes to capture objects close to home: a bouquet of flowers, a house cat, a dining table. Her work exudes a sense of domesticity and spring – light tones, soft colours. Familiar and inviting. And yet it also contains something intangible: moods and emotions that resonate, yet are hard to pinpoint.
Personal visual language
It is not only Van Klaveren’s subjects that make her work instantly recognizable, but also her way of drawing. Naturalistic rendering is not an end in itself: heads may be enlarged, eyes large and expressive. She seeks an alternative means of portrayal, in which familiarity and a personal visual language go hand in hand. When you see the work, you know straight away: this is Maeve van Klaveren.
From fashion to museum
This distinctiveness is also evident in her use of materials. Van Klaveren combines drawing materials – charcoal, coloured pencil, pastel and watercolour – working them together on paper to create a velvety, almost tactile texture. This reflects her background: before becoming an independent artist some twelve years ago, she studied at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute and worked in a textile artist’s studio. Her experience as an interior designer – shaping and enlivening spaces – also resonates in the domestic worlds she depicts.
About Maeve van Klaveren
Van Klaveren is represented by Moving Gallery (Utrecht) and Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery (London, Berlin and West Palm Beach). She has exhibited internationally, and her work is held in private collections worldwide and in public collections, including those of DELA and UMC Utrecht. Following solo exhibitions at Moving Gallery and Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery in Berlin (2024) and London (2025), Van Klaveren’s first solo museum presentation is at Museum MORE in 2026. Three of her artworks previously featured in our exhibitions Reality Check in Gorssel and Cute & Catty at Ruurlo Castle, both in 2025.
