Bobbi Essers

Bobbi Essers’ artistic journey begins with a deep-rooted fascination for the compelling power of stories, particularly those involving adventure and friendship. Born in Enschede, Netherlands in 2000, she ventured beyond her hometown at the age of 18 to pursue an artistic practice that primarily focuses on eternalising her dear friends within the intimate, spontaneous environments they share. 

Her paintings serve as an intimate portal into the lives of a close-knit friend group in their early twenties. In her work, Essers challenges conventional perceptions of gender and sexuality, emphasising that these traits transcend specific appearances and roles. She meticulously details textures, such as skin and textiles, preserving the memories that resonate within them. She emphasises, “Because clothing is so often seen as an assignment of gender roles, I like to play with those conventions. I have the feeling that we each have our own style and are special in that way, while that is of course not true at all, it is the fashion of a certain time.” 

What sets Essers’ work apart is her ability to merge multiple images into large, life-sized compositions. Combining two or more overlapping figures, the artist excludes the heads of her subjects, skillfully blurring the lines between traditional gender identities. Flowing in and out of each other, the portrayed bodies are coiled in a way that challenges the viewer to discern which arm, shoulder, or abdomen belongs to each character. Extracting images from her personal photo gallery, Essers weaves together multiple experiences and memories, imbuing them with depth and complexity. These interconnected visuals intertwine, much like the way memories coalesce or scenes blend together as they are recollected. Delving into the essence of shared experiences, Essers seeks not just an accurate portrayal but a fusion of her friends’ true selves and the way she perceives and feels about each of them. Her art carries an underlying sense of voyeurism for the viewer, offering a glimpse into these personal, unguarded moments. Born into a generation that is engulfed by social media that often feels performative and fake, Essers’ imagery transmits authenticity. Finding the myth and magic of everyday life, she emphasises the importance of being fully engaged in these fleeting moments. 

In essence, Bobbi Essers’ artistic journey weaves a tapestry of friendship, shared experiences, and emotional connection, inviting viewers to join in on the fun. Her works extend through timeframes, evoking nostalgia for the days when authenticity reigned supreme over the digital facade. With raw and unrefined source material, Essers captures the genuine essence of her close friends and, in the process, unfolds a narrative that resonates deeply with the universal longing for deep personal connections.