Michiel Folkers (1982) is a contemporary artist working from his studio in the heart of Amsterdam. His work is shaped by the textures, colors, and energy of the city, a presence that has stayed with him from his early days as a graffiti artist on Amsterdam’s streets in the late 1990s to his current studio practice. The urban environment continues to influence the way he approaches materials, composition, and scale, and elements from the street such as layered posters, paint marks, and found materials remain subtly present in his work.
Since 2016, Folkers has focused on his teddybear series, which has become a central motif in his practice. By pressing old and discarded teddybears into ink and onto a variety of surfaces, he creates works that are simultaneously playful, fragile, and visually striking. These bears appear not only in his studio but also in public spaces, moving through the city and engaging with the environment in an ongoing dialogue. The physical act of imprinting the bears emphasizes the tension between the innocence of the object and the force required to bring it to life, giving each work a distinct presence and evoking a wide range of responses from viewers.
While his practice occasionally incorporates techniques from earlier mixed-media experiments, the teddy bear series remains the main focus, and he continually explores new ways of working with materials and subjects. Folkers is interested in the balance between spontaneity and control, often allowing chance and the characteristics of his materials to guide the final outcome.
His work has been exhibited internationally in galleries and public projects, and has been recognized for its unique combination of urban influences, playful motifs, and inventive approaches to familiar objects. Folkers continues to develop his practice, exploring new techniques, materials, and contexts, while maintaining a deep connection to the city and its ever-changing textures that first inspired him.
