Nature, a boundless source of inspiration and pure beauty. Those who are not touched by it miss access to what is fundamental. It is perhaps at the core of what so many artists, scientists and philosophers want to tell us. Herma de Wit - Orobio de Castro was so moved by everything she saw around her as a young girl that it was to make its mark on her. Decades later, after studying technical fashion followed by fashion at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie and a short prestigious career as a fashion designer she turned back to what had drawn her before her worldly ambitions. Back to the emotion, an intimate entanglement of existential pain and deep wonder.
Herma de Wit - Orobio de Castro’s work, her bronze sculptures, objects, drawings and etchings, reveal an almost obsessive relationship with nature – the mainly isolated fragments of flora, sometimes a whole animal. Her meticulous studies and fervent interpretations of her chosen subject, a twig, a leaf or cluster of flowers, appear to be a desire to eternally capture both its power and fragility. The work is often enlarged or given an intimate scale. While one is dramatic another seems nonchalant or painfully shy. In the stillness that the artist seeks, she seems to want to create an almost human portrait. Though nature itself is not art - its creation is far beyond our imagination - looking at it can make it art.
As someone who is self-taught in the visual arts, Herma has a very intensive working relationship with the welders and bronze founders who help realise her work. The transition from a drawn study to a 3D realisation can be extremely complex. Nature cannot simply be copied. The work is therefore a one-off in some cases though, where possible, there can be a small edition of 4 to 8 pieces. The end result has a stillness to it, a sense of being and not perishing.
Curriculum vitae
2019 Buddha belly donated to the Daan Theeuwes Centre for Intensive
Neurorehabilitation, October 2019
2019 Participant Masterly The Hague 19-22 September 2019
2019 Book Herma de Wit - Orobio de Castro, Sculptures and Drawings has been added to the Rijks Museum library
2019 Solo show 'STILL' and book launch Herma de Wit - Orobio de Castro,
Sculptures and Drawings 20-23 June, UNFOLD Prinsengracht 715,
Amsterdam
2019 Book Herma de Wit - Orobio de Castro, Sculptures and Drawings has been added to the Benesse house library, Naoshima Japan
2019 Book launch Herma de Wit - Orobio de Castro, Sculptures and Drawings
31st of January, Antwerp at architect Vincent Van Duysen
2018 Garden sculpture exposed at The Building, Amsterdam
2018 Sculptures at Graanmarkt 13, Antwerp
2017 Exhibit Rijksstudioaward 2017 ‘Bunch of asparagus’
Still Life Adriaen Coorte 1697
2016 Summer garden exhibition John Halvemaan Buitenveldert, Amsterdam
2015 Participation Open Garden Days Amsterdam 19th, 20th
and 21st of June 2015
2015 Participation ARTZUID International Sculpture Route, Amsterdam
2015 ELLE DECORATION article Q&A Herma de Wit
2014 Participation ‘Kunst in duin’ Landgoed & Kasteel Keukenhof, Lisse
2014 Exhibition ‘SCULPTURES and LIGHTOBJECT’. Private garden, Amsterdam
2013 Various works presented at the house of More Than Classic
Woonbeurs Rai, Amsterdam
2013 Summer Garden exhibition FLOWER sculptures. Private garden, Amsterdam
2013 Exhibition ‘ART MEETS DESIGN’ DIS STUDIO, Amsterdam
2012 Participation ‘Kunst in duin’, Noordwijk.
2012 Exhibition DJ DE BOER HUISARTS 27 aug.- 2 nov.
2011 Participate in Charity Event Ninos de Guatamala at FIFTEEN, Amsterdam
2011 Participation ‘Kunst in duin’ Noordwijk
1989 – 1995 Own label; ‘HERMA DE WIT’, couture tailor-made women
1984 – 1989 Freelance designer for i.a. Trussardi (It) Scapa of Scotland (Be)
1984 – 1986 Teacher at the Vogue Fashion Academy, Amsterdam
1979 – 1983 Rietveld Academy, Fashion