Lia van Vugt

Solo exhibition

'The most beautiful moment is when I think: Did I make this? Where did it come from? If I can capture that sense of not‑knowing, of unreality, then the sculpture has succeeded.'

More than twenty years after her solo exhibition in Villa Hinkeloord, Lia van Vugt returns to Het Depot. Still working in her densely packed studio in the ' Jordaan' (in Amsterdam), she continues to shape a world where plaster, stone, glass, wood and unexpected everyday materials transform into expressive torsos, masks and imaginative sculptural forms. Over the past two decades, her artistic vocabulary has expanded enormously, revealing a remarkable versatility and an unmistakable mastery of every material she touches.

This new exhibition offers a broad look at her oeuvre: from classical torsos in stone and glass to masks assembled from household objects, and even sculptures crafted from bicycle inner tubes. What unites these works is Van Vugt’s exceptional craftsmanship and intuitive precision — a slow, attentive process in which each millimetre matters.

Visiting this exhibition is like stepping into her studio: a wondrous, almost cabinet‑like world where sculptures form natural relationships with one another and reveal new details the longer you look. It is a vivid preview of the rich and varied presentation Het Depot is preparing. One thing is certain: Lia van Vugt is far from finished.