Clémence Grutering (°1990) is a Belgian craftswoman and artist, living and working in Portugal.

Clémence Grutering studied interior architecture at LUCA school of Arts (Brussels). After investigating various materials such as paper at Isabelle de Borchgrave’s Paper Studio (Brussels) and embracing the concept of circular economy with the Brussels based collective ROTOR, she specialized in furniture upholstery in Germany (Kanapee, Brilon-Thülen) and has worked for reknown houses such as Studio Daniel Heer (Berlin) and La Maison Brazet (Brussels). On top of the cake this Brussels sprout has been collaborating with Brussels opera house La Monnaie/De Munt in addition to studying sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts of Boitsforts under the guidance of Gerald Dederen. She now mainly works on self-initiated projects and values ​the collective work ​more than ever.

I do, I undo, I redo

My daily drive is to make something out of nothing, because everything is already there.  I strongly believe in knowledge you gain through DIY, in problem-solving through making. Working on different scales and materials is crucial as it pushes me to analyze and conceptualize a project from different perspectives and consider alternatives. More than anything, it is important to me to surround myself with objects that possess a certain fragility or to use materials with a story to focus more on imagination and less on consumption. Yes, That’s-it!

For now…

“ While I am working, the work itself begins to have an effect on me. Just as I influence the canvas, the canvas influences me ”

- Barnett Newman -

“ the intelligence of matter […] became the protagonist of the work, and the artist’s hand was there to serve it”

- Giorgio Griffa -

“I am not what I am, I am

what I do with my hands.”

“ Le dessin est indispensable parce que toutes ces idées qui viennent, il faut les attraper comme des mouches quand elles passent ; et puis alors, que fait-on des mouches ou des papillons, on les conserve et on s’en sert ”

- Louise Bourgeois -