A Dutch Artist in North America
Anyone who has ever stood still before an overwhelming mountain landscape knows how small and insignificant a person can feel—and at the same time deeply connected to something greater than themselves. That is precisely the sensation Vivian Ammerlaan (1994) seeks in her work. This autumn, Singer Laren presents new work by the young artist in Vivian Ammerlaan in the Rocky Mountains. Vivian is the winner of the 2025 John & Marine van Vlissingen Art Foundation Prize. The prize consists of an inspiration journey, a book, and an exhibition at Singer Laren. For her journey she chose the Rocky Mountains, a landscape of breathtaking grandeur that has inspired her to take a new step in her artistic development.
Imagined Places
Since 2015, Vivian Ammerlaan has been working on her series Waanplekken (“Imagined Places”). In her studio she constructs fictitious landscapes using everyday materials such as salt, paper, and wood. In her images, these elements transform into majestic vistas—deserts, valleys, and mountain ranges. They are carefully built illusions that feel familiar yet exist nowhere, dissolving the boundary between reality and imagination. “Vivian creates dreamlike worlds and landscapes that exist only in our longing. Her use of photographic techniques is unique, and she fully bends them to her will,” says museum director Jan Rudolph de Lorm.
A New Dimension
The journey to the Rocky Mountains has inspired Ammerlaan to create new work. For the first time, she presents large-scale, handmade cyanotypes at Singer Laren. Using this technique, she applies a light-sensitive solution to paper, places a large negative of a fictitious landscape on top, and exposes it to sunlight. The areas where light passes through the negative turn blue, while the darker sections remain white. The works are then further toned in baths of tea and coffee.
The resulting images bear the traces of their making—stains, frayed edges, and unpredictable effects—capturing both the vastness of the landscape and a deeply personal presence. Her work is layered and reaches beyond what is immediately visible: it evokes emotion and memory. “Winning the John & Marine van Vlissingen Art Foundation Prize has granted me an inspiration journey, a book, and an exhibition at Singer Laren. That is something truly special. This platform is an enormous encouragement in fulfilling a long-held ambition: to create large-scale work that visibly carries the touch of my own hands,” Vivian says.
Vivian Ammerlaan in the Rocky Mountains. A Dutch Artist in North America is on view at Singer Laren from November 25, 2025 until January 18, 2026. The accompanying book is available in the Singer Shop.
Follow Vivian
Curious to see Vivian’s latest work? Follow her on Instagram at @vanvlissingenartfoundation or @vivian_ammerlaan. More of her work can be found at vivianammerlaan.com.
