In the early stages of her career, in the mid-1980s, Siem designed clothing pieces with the intention of exploring the boundaries between art and design. Through her collection of dresses, hats, bags, shoes, alienating costumes and masks, she deliberately blurred the line between art and fashion, as they could be both worn as clothing items or considered as aesthetic objects. However, back then, critics dismissed these works as ‘failed fashion or design’. For the artist, it felt as though she was being denied access to the art world. Nevertheless, she continued to combine fashion and textiles with visual art. And by incorporating visual references to modern art with materials and techniques associated with femininity or masculinity, Siem still draws a historical parallel between sexism in the first half of the 20th century and her experiences as a female artist in the art world.
Throughout her career, Siem has also drawn from a wide range of ethnographic sources, including dolls, traditional furniture design, and (European) folk costumes. Examples of these can also be seen in this exhibition.
Goslarer Kaiserring
Although Siem is a well-known and respected artist in her own country, her work has rarely been seen abroad. Despite her timely themes, she seemed to remain under the radar for a long time. However, in 2014 she won the prestigious Goslarer Kaiserring. As a result, she joins the ranks of internationally renowned artists such as Anselm Kiefer, Rebecca Horn, Cindy Sherman, Christian Boltanski, William Kentridge, and Bridget Riley.
www.ftn-books.com has the invitation for her Kunstmuseum exhibition available.
