Michiel Kluiters (1971, Amsterdam) makes monumental, painterly photographs of empty spaces that you can step right into. The work is on the plane between sculpture, photography and painting. They are images of improvised architectural scale models that he builds in his studio and then photographs in razor-sharp detail. The combination of light and shadow, point of view, perspective, color, texture and details result in an alienating effect with a signature all its own. The images seem primarily addressed to the hands rather than the eyes: they long to be touched, stroked, felt. 

The spaces are reminiscent of unfinished utopian buildings or abandoned ruins, still under construction or already decaying. This introduction of a sense of time – of something indicative of future completion or of a lingering memory of something irrevocably past – contributes to the inherent instability of these works.

By choosing to make photograph rather than show the object, the work lingers on that precious boundary between presence and absence, between reality and fiction. 

‘My concern is to orchestrate that one stilled two-dimensional image in which all those facets come together very precisely. It is important that the viewer has no clear idea of the true size of the space shown that has been photographed and whether or not it really exists. I consciously play with this, by not clearly defining things like scale the effect is charged and the viewer is challenged to fill it in for themselves.

Ever since his academy days, Kluiters has been concerned with building spaces to scale. 

Initially with the goal of creating his own defined “workspace” within the chaos of the Rietveld Academy’s studio building. Soon these spaces an sich became his focus. After the Rietveld, he went to the Ateliers where he further developed his work under the guidance of artists such as Jan Dibbets, Marien Schouten, Georg Herold and Rita McBride. He became fascinated with how he could visually affect an existing space through photographic blow-ups of his created spaces. First with large photographic works and later with wall-filling photo installations. Over time, this developed further into architectural interventions, video installations and sculptures in public spaces. In contrast to the many in-situ works and art commissions, he very consciously strives for an autonomous image in his current approach.

Kluiters’ current working method is quite irrational. He allows the crudely built models to emerge under his hands without a preconceived and elaborate plan. It lets the material itself be partly the inspiration for what he creates, the way he handles it and what he sees through it. As a result, the final image is layered and of deeper meaning than reality indicates. It is not simply a passage to another space, but gives access to the personal experience of the creator.

1996/1997 de Ateliers / Amsterdam
1994/1996 Gerrit Rietveld Akademie / Beeldhouwen / Amsterdam / (bachelor diploma / nominatie Rietveldprijs)
1990/1994 Hoge School v.d. Kunsten / Autonome vormgeving / Utrecht

2023 Levensboom / basisschool De Boemerang / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Gemeente Utrecht
2022 Lange bank / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Stompetoren / Gemeente Alkmaar
2021 Letterbeeld / Sporthal Gymworld / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Gemeente Zoetermeer
2019 In Situ / Torenvlietbrug Oegstgeest / schetsopdracht / Provincie Z-Holand
2018 Loopbrug / IKC Rijnvliet Utrecht / schetsopdracht / Gemeente Utrecht
2018 Toren / Stadsvitrine Fries Museum / opdracht / Fries Museum Leeuwarden / (tot 2023)
2018 Novo Sion / Rijswijk Buiten / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Gemeente Rijswijk
2017 Het eerste Kwartier / schetsopdracht / Sloterdijk-A10 viaduct / Gemeente Amsterdam
2017 Kneep / schetsopdracht / Vredeveldsetunnel Station Assen / Gemeente Assen
2016 de Verhalendouche / schetsopdracht / Stadhuis Zoetermeer / Gemeente Zoetermeer
2016 Dudo klink / schetsopdracht / Dudok Monument Hilversum / Gemeente Hilversum
2017 Monster van Nes / Fietstunnel Nes / Schagen / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Provincie N-Holland
2016 Line of Site / Penitentiaire Inrichting / Zaandam / opdracht / Taak / Pi2 / Staat der Nederlanden
2014 Double Ceiling / Rijksrecherche / Paleis van Justitie / Den Haag / opdracht / Rijksvastgoedbedrijf
2014 P10 / Parkeergarage Nieuwegein / winnend ontwerp / schetsopdracht / Gemeente Nieuwegein
2014 Bijou / Bospoort Ede / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Gemeente Ede
2014 ** Via 2014 / Limmel/Nazareth / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Gemeente Maastricht / Prorail
2013 Polaris / Minkema College Woerden / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Gemeente Woerden
2012
2011 Confetti / Sportcampus Wijchen / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Gemeente Wijchen
2011 Oranjerie / Gemeentehuis Haren / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Gemeente Haren
2011 *** Wereldplek / Onderwijs Boulevard Lewenborg / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / CBK Groningen
2011 Tijdruimte / Raadhuis Veenendaal / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Gemeente Veenendaal
2009 Streep / Brandweerkazerne Spaansland / winnend ontwerp / opdracht / Gemeente Enschede
2008 LOCfoto / LOC-Hardenberg / opdracht / KCO / Gemeente Hardenberg
2007 Mind the gap / Pakhuis de Zwijger Amsterdam / schetsopdracht / Stichting de Zwijger / SKOR
2006 Stadsbalkon / Stationsplein Groningen / schetsopdracht / CBK Groningen
2005 Wintertuin / Amphia ziekenhuis Breda / opdracht Amphia / SKOR / Breda
2002 Courthous / Kantongerechtsgebouw Enschede / opdracht / Rijksbouwmeester / Enschede
2001 Waiting room / CTSV Zoetermeer / opdracht / Kunst & Bedrijf / Zoetermeer
2000 Kamer / Altrecht WA Hoeve / Den Dolder

(** genomineerd met Jan Maas voor de Victor de Stuersprijs 2016)
(*** genomineerd Kunst op straatprijs Groningen 2021)

2024 Vouch IV, Loods 6, Amsterdam (verwacht)
2024 Openlucht installatie Hindeloopen, Art Zuiderzee (verwacht)
2023 Play at the field of transformation II, Op Hodenpijl Schipluiden, (duo Gam Klutier)
2023 MOYA, Museum Of Young Art, Oosterhout
2023 ART[s] Gallery Simone Jansen
2023 Sentience, MPV Gallery Oisterwijk (solo)
2023 Ruimte, Pennings Foundation, Eindhoven
2023 BIGART 2023, Amsterdam
2023 Extended Photography, Kunsthal 45 Den Helder
2023 Vouch III, Loods 6, Amsterdam
2023 Michiel Kluiters, Pennings Foundation, Eindhoven
2022 Unseen artfair, Josilda da Conceição Gallery Amsterdam
2022 Boek lancering Doorways, Athenaeum Amsterdam
2022 Museum De Voorde, Zoetermeer Respect, Museum De Voorde, Zoetermeer
2021 Doorways, Kennedy van der Laan, Amsterdam, (solo)
2021 PMCA (Pitcairn Museum for Contemporary Art) Groningen (solo) (solso
2021 Play at the field of transformation, Loods 6 Amsterdam (duo Gam Klutier)
2021 Unseen artfair, Josilda da Conceição Gallery Amsterdam (solo)
2019 House for sale, Elsweg Apeldoorn, St. Traveling Light
2017-2018 Zaal I,II, III, Phantom Limb, Fries Museum Leeuwarden
2016 The Time I Spent Going Nowhere, Billytown, Den Haag
2015 Partition, Ellen de Bruijne Projects, Amsterdam (solo)
2012 Collectie Reyn van der Lugt, AkkuH, Hengelo
2011 Wereldplek, CBK Groningen
2011 Planet M, Todaysart, Den Haag
2011 False Focus, Nest, Den Haag
2010 Collectie Reyn van der Lugt, Museum de Fundatie, Kasteel het Nijenhuis, Heino/Wijhe
2010 Particle , Ellen de Bruijne Projects (solo)
2009 MediaKunstMobiel, NIMk, Amsterdam
2008 Volume, Vol II , Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe (D)
2008 Essentially Absent, Nestruimte, DCR, Den Haag
2008 Rites de Passage , Marres, Maastricht, samenwerking met André van Bergen (solo)
2007 Cut and Paste, Lumineus-Amersfoort, Amersfoort
2007 Jetty, White Cube , P/////AKT, Amsterdam
2006 Lobby, Marres, Maastricht, samenwerking met André van Bergen
2006 Façade, Arti et Amicitiae Amsterdam
2006 Art Amsterdam, Ellen de Bruijne Projects, samenwerking André van Bergen
2006 Stock of Props, Pakt building, Amsterdam, samenwerking met André van Bergen
2005 Volume , Mediamatic, Post CS building, Amsterdam
2005 Mesh, Ellen de Bruijne Projects (solo)
2005 Constructed Moment, KW14, Den Bosch
2005 Bronnen , Kranenburg Museum, Bergen-NH
2004 Artforum Berlin (D), Ellen de Bruijne Projects
2004 Push, De Inkijk, SKOR, Amsterdam (solo)
2004 As, Marres, Maastricht (solo)
2003 Vyloha , Display (solo), Praag (CZ)
2003 Art Cologne (D), Ellen de Bruijne Projects
2003 Criccagang, T293 Napels (I)
2003 Shopwindow, project Hartenstraat, Amsterdam
2003 Liste 03, Basel (CH), Ellen de Bruijne Projects
2003 Not Fair, Las Palmas, Rotterdam
2003 Art Rotterdam, Ellen de Bruijne Projects
2002 Artchitektura , Architecture Institute Jaroslava Fragnera, Praag(CZ)
2002 Standplaats, off-site project Paraplufabriek, Nijmegen
2002 Kelder in de Vliering , W139, Amsterdam
2002 Michiel Kluiters, Ellen de Bruijne Projects (solo)
2001 overzichtstentoonstelling, ARBM, Den Haag (solo)
2001 Common Ground , BAK, Utrecht
2001 Stick to your own Knitting, Ellen de Bruijne Projects, Amsterdam
2001 Pieter Saenredam Het Utrechtse werk, Centraal Museum Utrecht
2000 Threesome , Begane Grond, Utrecht
2000 Chockablock Stock, Ellen de Bruijne Projects, Amsterdam
2000 MAF, Maastricht, Ellen de Bruijne Projects
2000 Space Trap, Ellen de Bruijne Projects, Amsterdam