The work of Fiona Lutjenhuis (Zevenaar, NL, 1991) revolves around depicting and reinterpreting the religious ideologies she grew up with. During her childhood, she lived with her family in a village in North Brabant, where her parents joined a sect based on a mixture of theosophical ideas, esoteric cosmologies, stories about extraterrestrial life and the existence of supernatural life forms. Drawing on personal memories and archival material, she explores and transforms the ideological legacy of her childhood. Rather than a literal reconstruction, her work offers a poetic retelling: an attempt to make the unknown tangible, without the intention of judgement.
Fascinated by religious art, Lutjenhuis builds and paints folding screens as carriers of stories: mobile, vision-like paintings that function both sculpturally and narratively. She also bakes bread in various shapes, a ritual that makes her feel secure but also has religious connotations: bread is the symbol of life, sacrifice and providence. She also makes dolls that represent the entities that regularly appeared in the sect, whose visual language is borrowed from Eastern cultures. Other recurring elements in her presentations, which often resemble installations, are murals and wind chimes. The stories Lutjenhuis tells are full of references that touch the viewer on different levels. She also uses humour in her work, a component that has helped her to cope with her demagogic upbringing.
Lutjenhuis uses her unusual childhood to view contemporary discourse through a theosophical lens. In recent years, she has immersed herself in the archives of the sect she grew up with, as well as in the broader religious movements that have been blended or distorted in that group's ideology.
These are far removed from the Western world, which in its pursuit of rationality has distanced itself from nature. The individual reigns supreme: humans have placed themselves above all else, with the inevitable consequence of abusing the life around us. Lutjenhuis makes a plea for opening up our psyche, so that we can allow the magical elements of nature to enter and become part of our human actions. This is by no means in the context of proselytising: it is simply a matter of thinking in a deeper, more empathetic layer of consciousness.
Lutjenhuis's starting position is unique: the artist possesses a rare knowledge and lived experience of spiritual and supernatural thinking, framed by a self-taught, balanced, autonomous view of the world around her. Art is a gateway to another reality for her, offering her joy and new perspectives. She wants to offer this to her audience as well. With her art, Lutjenhuis takes the viewer into a world that makes the invisible visible.
Fiona Lutjenhuis lives and works in Amsterdam. She studied at ArtEZ University of the Arts, Arnhem (2010-2014) and was a resident at Rijksakademie in Amsterdam from 2022 to 2024. In 2024, she was nominated for the Scheffer Art Prize and in 2025 for the Prix de Rome. She has exhibited in various museums and project spaces, such as 1646, H3H Biennale, Drawing Centre Diepenheim, and Het Noordbrabants Museum. Currently, her work is on display at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.
Daddy Long Legs And The Web (of lies) is about my father telling stories about the secrets of the forest, including a self portrait with my father and mother. And my birds, Pikachuu and Willy.
The 360 landscape holds the masters of the cult, depicted as a hawk and owls. The birds in the landscape are their flock. The floating shoji walled buildings are depicting scenes of me and my family. I painted us as dolls.
One person bed with silver sand castles. The work is based on a nightmare I had as a child about me and my family. We were nomads and traveling through the desert. One of us got shot in the heart by god and was left behind. The face of one of us was burning in flames.
Fiona Lutjenhuis (1991, Zevenaar, NL)
Education
—— BA Fine Art, ArtEZ Institute of the Arts, Arnhem, The Netherlands (2010 – 2014)
Prizes
Prix de Rome 2025, nominated
Scheffer Kunst Prijs 2024, nominated
Recidency
—— Rijksakademie Van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam (2022-2024)
Stipendia/scholarships
—— Mondriaan Fonds, Artist Basis 2025 - 2029
—— Van Bijleveltstichting, Fellowship (2023-2024)
—— Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds (2022-2023)
—— Corona Bridging Grant for Artists, Curators, Researchers (2021)
—— Young Talent Stipend Mondrian Fund (2018)
Collections
—— AkzoNobel Art Foundation
—— Museum Dordrecht, Dordrecht
—— Museum Krona, Uden
—— Museum Helmond, Helmond
—— Schunck Glaspaleis, Heerlen
—— Provinciehuis Gelderland, Arnhem
Publications
—— 'Sideways Universe', printed by Terry Bleu, Amsterdam, 2023 (self published in commision by Schunck, Heerlen)
—— 'TEMPLES FOR THE UNBELIEVABLE', published and printed by Terry Blue, Amsterdam (2021)
—— 'THE GOLDEN HOUR', graphic novel, (2021) (self published)
—— 'THE THREE MAN', graphic novel, (2017) (self published)
Murals
—— 'Church Wear', Open Studio’s, Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam (2023)
—— 'Sideways Universe', SCHUNCK Glaspaleis, Heerlen (2023-2025)
—— Nest/Down the Rabbit Hole, Lowlands site, Arcadia (2022-2023)
—— 'FUTURA FANTASTICA', Collaboration with Gijs Frieling, Provinciehuis, Arnhem (2021)
—— 'HEELS FOR WHEELS AND A CAN OPENER IN A CAN', Derde Wal, Muur voor Talent, Nijmegen (2020)
Exhibitions
—— Art Antwerp, with Galerie Fleur & Wouter, group (2025)
—— Prix de Rome, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (2025)
—— Opening exhibition new gallery space, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Duo, Amsterdam, (2025)
—— Fiona Lutjenhuis, Noord Brabants Museum, Solo (2025)
—— 'A Deeper Shade of Soul', H3h Biënnale, Oosterhout (2025)
—— Refresh #3, Amsterdam Museum, Amsterdam (2025)
—— 'Dauwpunt’, Drawing Centre Diepenheim (2025)
—— 'Mythes en Mogelijkheden', Het Huis Van Het Boek, Meermanno Museum, Den Haag (2025 - 2026)
—— 'Dutch Horizons', Schiphol Airport, Wink, (2025 - 2026)
—— ‘Ankhmania’, Solo Exhibition, 1646, Den Haag (2024)
—— ‘Het Museum van het Alsof’, 38CC, Delft (2024)
—— De Scheffer nominations, Dordrechts Museum, Dordrecht (2024)
—— Open Studio’s, Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten (2024)
—— Unfair23, Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam (2023)
—— 'Aan de rand van de hemel: Visioenen', group show and commision, Museum Krona, Uden (2023)
—— 'Herbarium', Plaatsmaken, group exhibition Arnhem (2023)
—— Summerschool, VROOM, group exhibition Brussels (2023)
—— Open Studio’s, Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, Amsterdam (2023)
—— Pop-up exhibition LithoXXL, Nederlands steendrukmuseum, Valkenswaard (2022)
—— Editions, Unfair, Westergas Amsterdam (2022)
—— Outdoor installation, Hommelseweg Arnhem, commissioned by Plaatsmaken (2022)
—— Book Launch 'Temples For The Unbelievable', published by Terry Blue, Quintal Atelier, Offprint, Paris (2021)
—— Book Launch 'THE GOLDEN HOUR', Terry Bleu, Amsterdam (2021)
—— Book Launch 'THE GOLDEN HOUR', PARELS, Arnhem (2021)
—— Group exhibition 'To Riso Or Not’, TAC, Eindhoven (2021)
—— Group exhibition 'In Believe is Power', Expoplu (2020)
—— Prospects and Concepts, Art Rotterdam (2020)
—— Kunst op de koffie #5, Arnhem (2019)
—— Group exhibition 'FAITH MONEY LOVE', Arnhem (2017)
—— Group exhibition 'The Painted Bird, Dreams and Nightmares of Europe', Marres, Maastricht (2017) Short Residency
—— Herbarium, Plaatsmaken, Arnhem (2023)
—— Summerschool, VROOM, Brussels (2023)
—— Litho XXL, Make Eindhoven & Steendrukmuseum, Eindhoven Valkenswaard (2021)
—— Wobby Workout #1, Tilburg (2021)
—— To Riso Or Not, Wobby & Make Eindhoven (2020)
—— Artoll, Bedburg-Hau, Kleve, Germany (2013)
Other
—— Guest teacher Aki (ArtEZ), Enschede (2023)
—— Stadsarchief Amsterdam, tekenopdracht ‘Levensvatbare stad’ period Februari-August (2023)
—— Winterlab, Guest teacher ArtEZ, Zwolle (2021)
—— Illustrations Extra Extra Radio, in Collaboration with NTS Londen (2020-2022)
—— Arnhemse Nieuwe, presentation showroom Arnhem, Ontwerp Platform Arnhem and O-P-A, (2018)