A glance into the world of Madelon Uljee
Leather as a living material, shaped into sculptural form.
We are pleased to introduce Madelon Uljee, an artist who magnifies often overlooked details from nature and translates them into sculptural works. Using leather as her primary material, she explores the tension between structure and organic form, allowing each piece to develop through an intuitive, hands-on process.
Below you can find the conversation we had with Madelon, offering insight into her background, material choices and evolving practice.
You started your artistic practice after a previous career. What made you decide to take that step, and do you feel that this background still influences your work today?
I grew up surrounded by creativity. My father owned an advertising agency that also housed an art gallery, Galerie Helga Hofman, with big names like Armando. From an early age, I was exposed to both art and advertising. That combination shaped how I see creativity, both as a form of expression and as a way to communicate with an audience.
After completing my HAVO, I went on to study at the Academy for Art Direction and Design. Not long after graduating, I was invited to join an agency as a creative. That opportunity set me on a more commercial creative path, which I followed for the next 20 years. During that time, I worked on developing concepts for major brands and eventually grew into the role of Executive Creative Director.
But throughout those years, art never really left me. There was always this underlying desire to create freely, without a brief, without constraints, just making work that truly connects with people on an emotional level.
In 2023, I made a pivotal decision: I stepped away from my comfortable career in advertising to fully pursue my dream of becoming an artist. It was a leap into the unknown, but also a return to something that had always been part of me.
You work with leather, a material with strong connotations. What draws you to it, and how important is tactility in how your work is experienced?
I spent nine months researching and experimenting in search of the right material for my work. I was searching for a material that would feel natural and strong enough to hold its shape while still allowing movement. That balance was essential to me.
I tried everything. Epoxy felt too plastic, too artificial. Other fabrics lacked the strength and didn’t have the organic quality I was looking for. Nothing quite captured the tension between structure and life.
Then one night, I woke up with a clear thought: the leaf had to be made of leather, supported by a steel base that functions like a vein, just like in a real leaf. That idea changed everything.
Leather is a living material. It behaves in its own way, which makes each piece unpredictable and, for me, exciting. You can guide it, but never fully control it, and that element of surprise is an important part of the process.
For sustainability, I work exclusively with leftover leather from the high fashion industry, materials sourced from some of the most beautiful luxury brands. I often visit my supplier in search of the perfect piece. Sometimes I dye the leather myself to achieve a specific tone, other times the material already has such a rich and unique colour that I leave it exactly as it is.
You translate structures from nature into abstract forms. What kind of structures are you drawn to, and how visible are these references meant to be for the viewer?
With my work, I want to magnify the structures, textures, and colours found in nature. This vision stems from an obsession with the delicate details found in nature that began in my childhood. From the graceful lines of a leaf vein to the soft shimmer of dew drops resting on a leaf.
These are the quiet wonders that often go unnoticed in our fast-paced and screen-dominated world. Yet, these subtle details hold a unique power to calm the mind and bring joy to the soul. My purpose is to magnify this beauty, to draw attention to the small things that, when observed, can inspire peace.
How does a work typically start for you, and how much of the final result is planned versus discovered during the process?
I strongly believe in the “thinking hands” principle. For me, that means starting to create as soon as I have an idea, without first making sketches or detailed plans. The real thinking happens through the act of making.
During the process, the piece gradually takes shape because I allow my hands to lead the creative work in a very intuitive way. There is always an initial idea, but the final result inevitably evolves into something different. That unpredictability is an essential part of my practice.
I rely on traditional craftsmanship in my work. I weld the steel bases, and I dye the leather using techniques similar to those of traditional shoemakers. The bubbles in my pieces are all unique, each one pressed into molds by hand. This combination of intuition and craftsmanship is what ultimately defines the character of my work.
Is there still an element in your process that feels unpredictable or challenging?
The element that makes my work unpredictable is the use of leather. I use a wide range of types, from very soft, delicate lambskin to thicker, more robust cowhide. Each type behaves differently.
Leather is a living material, it has a will of its own. That means it’s always a surprise how it will respond and ultimately take shape. More often than not, it collaborates with me and even exceeds my expectations in the way it forms. But there are also moments when it resists.
In those cases, I have to be willing to let the piece go. Accepting that uncertainty, embracing both the successes and the failures, is an essential part of my process.
How do you see your work developing in the coming years? Are you moving towards larger or more spatial projects?
Because I magnify the details found in nature, I’m naturally drawn to working on a large scale. My work is defined by its boldness, its expansive size, and its rich colours. I’m driven to make everything feel bigger, more immersive, more impactful.
For me, art isn’t about shrinking ideas to fit within a frame, it’s about breaking boundaries. I want to create something that demands attention, something you can’t simply walk past.
That’s why my work is also suited for larger environments, such as hotels, office buildings, and public spaces. Looking ahead, I envision my work existing on an even grander scale, installed in public places where I can incorporate additional sensory elements to evoke the feeling of nature when you truly pay attention to it.
I imagine integrating sound, scent, and tactile components, creating an experience where it feels as if you’re walking through an enlarged, abstract version of a rainforest.
What made this collaboration feel like the right moment for you, and what feels different about presenting your work with a gallery compared to independently?
I believe it’s essential for an artist to be able to focus on creating. A gallery can provide that space. When you become too focused on money and sales, there’s a risk of adapting your work to the fluctuations of the market, and that ultimately weakens it.
As an artist, you need to stay connected to your intuition, not to what the market is asking for. That’s the only way to create something truly unique. I see too many trends in art today, works that start to resemble each other, and that was exactly the reason I began looking for gallery representation.
When I first met Yvonne, I immediately felt a connection. We share a desire to bring something new to the art world, to surprise people and challenge expectations.
What do you hope someone takes with them after encountering your work?
I hope that when people experience my work, they feel transported, if only for a moment, into the kind of rainforest I described earlier. A place where everything slows down, and where you become fully aware of the richness and detail of nature.
I want to evoke a sense of wonder and quiet admiration for those small, often overlooked elements. The textures, the shapes, the subtle movements that reveal how intricate and alive nature really is when you take the time to truly look.
At the same time, I hope the work offers a kind of mental pause. A moment where people can disconnect from their daily routines, their responsibilities, their constant to-do lists, and simply be present.
Madelon Uljee’s leather sculptures will be presented by Root Gallery at art fair KunstRAI 2026, taking place from 22 to 26 April in Amsterdam.
From 30 May onwards, her work will also be on view at Root Gallery as part of an upcoming exhibition. If you would like to experience the work up close or receive a preview, feel free to get in touch.
