Nikki Pelaez (1969) studied at the academy of fine arts in Maastricht. Her work was nominated in 2002 for the "Gilbert de Bontridder-price". In 2003 she received a starters-stipend from the fund of fine arts and design in Amsterdam.
In the passed years Nikki mostly made videofilms and photo's in which she showed a world filled with desire for innocence, harmony and security. But also a world with a harsh undertone.
In her present work on paper the theme of innocence (and loosing it) plays yet again an important part. In that sence it remains in the line of her earlier work.
The startingpoint of Nikki's present work is formed by photographs taken by herself and others of children and young people in the water. The heroic charm of the children combined with the uneasiness and vulnerability is what fascinates and inspires Nikki.
She makes a photo-collage by combining elements of different photographs. She then enlarges the result and with the help of charcoal , drawing-chalk and paint she looks for additions and changes that make the image more intense. By combining figuration with a certain amount of abstract estrangement, she creates a completely personal pictorial language.
The white lines and dots form a second layer over the image and make it even more enigmatic.
Nikki lives and works in Maastricht, the Netherlands.