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. Read more about the project here.

Education:

2017-2021     BA Illustration and Animation Design, Academy                                             Minerva Groningen, Cum Laude

2020              Internship at Nino Bulling, Berlin

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

Exhibitions and projects:

Currently or soon:

DAD Design Stories, Groningen, 1 sept-31 dec

Past:

2021            IJswee, CKB Emmen
2021            Dutch Design Week, Klokgebouw Eindhoven

2021            Manifestatie Jong, Galerie y DSG Assen

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 (student price nomination)

2018            Allie van Altena Farewell Exhibition, Groningen

Selected clients:

Essay Skate Magazine, Hit The North, Juiststraks.nu, Stichting Poëziepaleis, FNV Groningen, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.