Teeth, bottles, pliers, plants. These objects are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for my work. My name is Merel Wendt (1999), an illustrator and printmaker currently based in Groningen, the Netherlands. I share a screen print studio with the four other members of Purple Carrot Collective.

I often find myself playing with context. By composing non-related objects into a new order or setting, they start interacting in a surreal, strange way. They have the ability to come to life, and by testing the boundaries of their shapes, colors and textures, I’m constantly reshaping them into new characters for my analogue illustrations, lithographs and screen prints.

I recently graduated with the project PFAND, a project about the Berliner Pfandsammler*innen and their bottle collection.  PFAND was on display at the Detour Graduation Show in the former Sugar Factory from the 19th till the 24th of June 2021. 

Education:

• 2017-2021: BA Illustration and Animation Design, Academy Minerva Groningen
  

• 2020: Internship at Nino Bulling, Berlin

• 2016-2017: Pre-course Art and Design, ArtEZ Zwolle

Exhibitions and projects:

• 2021 Detour, Graduation show Academy Minerva

• 2020 Channeled, The Waterhouse Gallery, Groningen

• 2020 Like a Virgin, Galerie H200 Groningen
  

• 2019 Panta Rhei, Grafiek2019 & Forma Aktua Groningen

• 2019 Illustratie57, Groningen (side events, curation and organising seminars)

• 2019 Grafiek in de Kerk, Woltersum

• 2018 Cross Comix, Rotterdam (nominated for the student price)

• 2018 Allie van Altena Farewell Exhibition, Groningen

Selected clients:

• Essay Skate Magazine

• Stichting Poëziepaleis

• FNV Groningen

• Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

• UMCG