For KunstRAI 2025, Senior Project Manager Lisa van de Weerthof has curated a selection of artworks that stand out this year. These are the artists you don’t want to miss.
For four decades, KunstRAI has reflected the world of contemporary art in the Netherlands. Here, artists and gallerists showcase their work, inspire others, and invite visitors to discover new perspectives. Sometimes, it is the work of promising emerging talents; other times, that of established artists. But one thing is certain: art is always in motion.
Just like the world around us, art continuously grows and evolves. It serves as a mirror to society, bringing together political statements, personal memories, and visions of the future. It is often these underlying stories, ideals, and emotions that make a work truly special – beyond its aesthetic value.
Mayumi Nakao – Sato Gallery
Sato Gallery is a new gallery, and not just for KunstRAI. Since its opening in 2020, gallerist Julien Sato has been dedicated to introducing contemporary Japanese artists to a Western, particularly European, audience.
The work of artist Mayumi Nakao (1985, Kobe) immerses viewers in a warm, layered nostalgia. Her detailed paintings capture everyday moments, as if you were sitting in her living room, flipping through an old family album. Especially for those who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, there is much to recognize – iconic objects, colors, and food from that era.
Nakao’s fascination with faces and domestic scenes reflects her own experience as an immigrant in New York. Her connection with others who have found a new home translates into images filled with warmth and familiarity. Her recent work, in which she paints her own family for the first time, adds yet another layer of depth.
Melissa Schriek – Hama Gallery
Hama Gallery is a space that uniquely demonstrates how art can be accessible to everyone. It invites visitors to discover, experience, and engage with art. The gallery provides a platform for emerging artists and reflects the vision of gallerist Nina Hama.
One of these artists is Melissa Schriek, whose work I have admired since her first exhibition at Hama Gallery. Her photography is spontaneous in a way I have rarely seen before. The women – she exclusively photographs women – often find themselves in unusual, almost unnatural poses. And yet, it never feels unsettling; somehow, everything just falls into place.
Sofie Aaldering – Rademakers Gallery
The work of Sofie Aaldering (1998) van Rademakers Gallery merges art, design, and fashion. After completing her fashion studies, Aaldering decided to translate her fascination with textiles into visual art, with intriguing results.
By combining materials like tulle and mesh in a variety of colors, sizes, and compositions, Aaldering creates layered, almost otherworldly compositions. Her works are dynamic and tactile, as if they are in motion, breathing. They captivate the viewer, drawing the eye in and inviting them to continuously discover new details.