Milena Anna Bouma (NL), 1994.
Lives and works in Amsterdam.
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milabouma@gmail.com
Milena Anna Bouma’s sculptural practice consists of a research after the status of domesticity, utensils and living phenomena within our world. Her work is suggestive an appears in existing shapes and mundane references, often involving the animalistic image. Her prismatic choice of materials tries to grasp liveliness by either mimicking or combining ambiguous materials and objects. Elements are reproduced, molded and translated into new entities, more often involving ceramics and other traditional techniques such as glass. Bouma’s recent works have a deepened interest in archeology and bringing ancient stories back to life, considering excavated objects as communicators of ancient life.
past
Lives and works in Amsterdam.
milabouma@gmail.com
Milena Anna Bouma’s sculptural practice consists of a research after the status of domesticity, utensils and living phenomena within our world. Her work is suggestive an appears in existing shapes and mundane references, often involving the animalistic image. Her prismatic choice of materials tries to grasp liveliness by either mimicking or combining ambiguous materials and objects. Elements are reproduced, molded and translated into new entities, more often involving ceramics and other traditional techniques such as glass. Bouma’s recent works have a deepened interest in archeology and bringing ancient stories back to life, considering excavated objects as communicators of ancient life.
EDUCATION
2015–2018
Fine Arts department, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam
2014
Foundation year, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam
2013
Pre-course, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam
RESIDENCIES
current
past
2025
Arita Creative Residency, Arita, Saga, Japan
2024
Residency EKWC, Oisterwijk, The Netherlands
2021
Door Residency, Door creative studio, Hembrugterrein, Zaandam, The Netherlands
2020
Gluten world, Brussels, Belgium
2020
Chinese European Art Center, Xiamen, China
2017
European Exchange Academy, Libken Kunstverein, Ort Boeckenberg, Germany
EXHIBITIONS
coming
2026
Solo exhibition—Museum Perron Oost, Amsterdam
2025
Arti Salon—Arti & Amicitiae, Amsterdam
past
2025
Analog Market by Audiotechnica—Tsujiki Honganji temple, Tokyo, Japan
2025
CRA Final Presentation—Gallery Seiji, Arita, Saga, Japan
2025
Eating rice—No Limits! Art Castle, Amsterdam
2025
Chillzone—Het Veem, Amsterdam
2025
Test Case XXXIII—EKWC, Oisterwijk
2024
Rolling Snowball 17—Powerlong Art Center, Xiamen, China
2024
Centraal Laat—Centraal Museum, Utrecht
2024
Zomersalon—CBK Zuidoost, Amsterdam
2024
Baby Reni @ Home #2—Baby Reni Foundation, Amsterdam
2024
Prospects & Concepts by Mondriaanfonds—Art Rotterdam, van Nelle Fabriek, Rotterdam
2023
#16 ‘Descent into Fungal’—Buro Stedelijk, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
2023
Heatwave Hell—Art Athina, Athens, Greece
2023
Fountains without water—De Apotheek, Amsterdam
2023
How small can you go—Tiny Art Gallery in Ruis, Nijmegen
2023
De Grote Keramiekshow—No Limits! Art Castle, Amsterdam,
2023
Synthetic Cool—2DAY2DAY project space, Amsterdam
2023
Group show, No Limits! Art Castle—Art Rotterdam, Van Nelle Fabriek, Rotterdam
2022
Everybody needs a shell—Het Blauwe Veld, Arnhem (solo)
2022
Residing, Reviewing, Rendering—Netherlands Cultural Institute Online (NCIO), China and The Netherlands
2022
Le geste est la parole—De Bouwput, Amsterdam
2022
BIG ART, Project Fabriek—Hembrugterrein, Zaandam
2022
Limburg Biennale—Marres, Huis voor Hedendaagse Cultuur, Maastricht
2022
De Grote Keramiekshow—Outsiderland, Amsterdam
2021
Tweetakt kunstenfestival—‘Cavidad Bucal’, Fort Ruigenhoek, Utrecht
2021
De Grote Keramiekshow—Outsiderland, Amsterdam
2021
Drunk Hooves—Kunsttraject Zeeheldenbuurt, Amsterdam (solo)
2021
Door Residency open studios—Door creative studio, De dood, Hembrugterrein Zaandam
2020
Gluten world—Brussels, Belgium
2020
Earthflax—Gothenburg, Sweden
2019
DNA ikea—De Cacaofabriek, Helmond
2019
Some things to talk about—Stichting Sign, Groningen
2019
PRIDE & INNOCENCE—De Oosterkerk, Amsterdam
2019
Die Another Day—AT7 project space, Amsterdam
2018
Guidetti’s World—Groupshow Amsterdam art weekend, ISO, Amsterdam
2018
Sprouts Young Talents—SBK, Amsterdam
2018
Nieuwe Oogst—Galerie Bart, Nijmegen
2018
Just Joey, Graduation show—Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam
2018
Gratefully sludged—M4 Gastatelier, Amsterdam
2018
Reconstructions—Duo-show with Bram Faber, De Boterhal, Hoorn
2017
EEA—Libken Kunstverein, Ort Boeckenberg, Germany
2017
Whats happening to our brain? Art & life in times of cognitive automation—Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
2016
Rietveld@SALTO TV—film screenings on television, AT5, Amsterdam
2016
Bots, Bodies, Beasts, the art of being humble—De Brakke Grond, Amsterdam
2015
Gen-IE Take Away ART—CT ceintuurbaan, Amsterdam
2013
‘A’ PRESENTS: Alphabet Beyond Type—Perdu, Amsterdam
GRANTS & NOMINATIONS
2025
Mondriaanfonds Creative Residency Arita
2024
Jury price Zomersalon CBK Zuidoost
2024
Mondriaanfonds Voucher Development
2023
Cultuurfonds Projectbijdrage
2023
Stipend Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst
2022
Mondriaanfonds Kunstenaar Start
2020
Mondriaanfonds Covid bijdrage
2019
Mondriaanfonds Projectinvestering
2019
Niemeijerfonds Projectbijdrage
2019
Kunst & Cultuur subsidie, Gemeente Amsterdam
2018
Nominated for the ‘Nieuwe Oogst’ prize, Nijmegen, Galerie Bart, Nijmegen
2018
Berlage Fonds, Graduation grant
ACTIVITIES
2023
Guest teacher Nieuwe Akademie, Utrecht
2019
Intitated & co-curated PRIDE & INNOCENCE in the Oosterkerk, Amsterdam
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2025
The evolution of the dino nugget, zine in collaboration with Joshua Hoogenboom-Noya, published by Print the Future
2018
van den Nieuwenhof, Merel, Milena Anna Bouma, Jong talent, Palet Magazine no. 398 DEC-JAN
2018
Prins, Liza, Mila Bouma, Tandpasta en Boter, Metropolis M, Graduation Special 2018, p. 8
website by Geke Zaal