Experience with the Groeispurt: Mirthe Scheifes - Lonely Lands

Lonely Lands: An Intimate Look at the Small and the Transient

Since graduating from St. Joost in Den Bosch, Mirthe has been exploring how analog photography can bring worlds to life. With a strong sense of composition and a keen photographic eye, she creates poetic images in which people—often herself or family members—blend into their surroundings, whether upside down, fragmented, or depicted as still lifes. Her work balances the human and the object-like, allowing her subjects to disappear into the landscape that surrounds them.

When her world was confined to the living room, her perspective shifted as well. The small, the unattractive, and even the waste products of life became her new focus. Thus, a dead fly became an object of beauty and reflection. This approach gave rise to *Lonely Lands*: a project that invites the viewer to take their time looking.

Two Ways of Looking at Things

"Lonely Lands " offers visitors two perspectives. Through viewing boxes, visitors gain access through a lens to so-called “objects trouvés”: a cockchafer, a bee, pollen strands on nearly decayed wood, or a piece of metal from a bracket. Enlarged analog photographs depicting similar scenes hang on the walls. Together, they form small ecosystems that bear witness to unexpected connections and silent relationships.

The photographic works served as the starting point for the exhibition. To draw visitors into her way of seeing, Mirthe designed and built the viewing boxes herself. In this way, not only the image but also the experience of viewing became an essential part of the work.

Artistic and Professional Development

The "Lonely Lands " project marked the next step in the professionalization of Mirthe’s art practice. As she worked toward a final presentation, she found it necessary to think critically about presentation, finishing touches, and professionalism. A key question in this process was: What will I do myself, and what will I outsource?

By taking her own expertise seriously while collaborating with Fotolab Amsterdam, the project evolved into a full-fledged exhibition. The process strengthened her confidence in her own artistry and in collaborating with outside specialists.

The Role of the Groeispurt

The contribution from Groeispurt it possible to put the visitor’s experience at the center. Questions such as how large the photos should be and what material was suitable for the viewing boxes were no longer determined solely by the budget, but could be answered based on the concept and intent.

The Groeispurt thus Groeispurt room for artistic choices and deeper exploration. As a Nijmegen grant program for young artists, the Groeispurt encourages Groeispurt ideas and developments in a flexible and accessible way, without unnecessary restrictions. For “Lonely Lands,” this provided crucial support in realizing an exhibition that invites visitors to step into Mirthe’s world, both literally and figuratively. Contribution from the Groeispurt

The grant made me make this "experience" the starting point. What does this exhibition need to make the visitor step into my world? How large the photographs would be printed or what type of wood I would use for the viewing boxes was determined not only by their cost but could be made from concept and intention.

About Groeispurt

Groeispurt is a Nijmegen grant program for young creators, artists, and performers. The program encourages new ideas and initiatives and gives young talent an extra boost, without unnecessary restrictions or obligations. It is a flexible and fast way to provide support, encouraging new developments and helping art and culture in Nijmegen continue to flourish.