“This experience acts as a true springboard: it affirms, encourages, and opens up unexpected perspectives.”
French artist Laurence Malherbe describes her time at OPEN Portfolio as an experience that goes far beyond simply presenting work, becoming a rare human journey from which one returns transformed.
“The OPEN Portfolio logo, that open padlock, expresses it perfectly. Doors open: to new encounters, to future collaborations, and to a deeper engagement with your own practice.”
She highlights the quality of the encounters as one of the most striking aspects, emphasizing the opportunity to connect with artists from different backgrounds and cultures, all brought together by a shared commitment to printmaking. In this context, she explains that “being alongside the work of the other selected artists, so diverse in both techniques and artistic worlds, is as nourishing as it is stimulating,” adding that these exchanges not only broaden perspectives but also foster meaningful connections: “the exchanges broaden your perspective and meaningful connections are made, professional and sometimes personal.” As a result, she concludes that “you leave with your energy multiplied.”
Malherbe also underscores the importance of the setting in which the event takes place, from the exhibition space to the organisation and the audience. She points to “a remarkable exhibition space in the very heart of Bilbao, a warm welcome, attentive organisers and visitors who truly love prints,” all of which create the conditions to focus on what matters most: “the work and the dialogue.” Within this environment, she notes, “you feel seen, held.”
She further reflects on the impact of the experience on her professional path, describing it as “a genuine stepping stone: it affirms, it encourages, it opens up unexpected horizons.”
Regarding the identity of the project, she interprets its symbol as a clear metaphor for the experience itself: “the OPEN Portfolio logo, that open padlock, says exactly this. Doors open: those of encounters, of future collaborations, and also those that lead further into your own practice.”
Finally, she encourages others to take part with a direct invitation: “dare to go! What you bring back won’t fit in a portfolio; it slips into the way you think about your work, for a long time to come.”