A collaboration shaped over time | Lisette Schumacher
About working for over a decade with Lisette Schumacher, a painter whose evolving practice continues to orbit around space, light, and rhythm.
Some collaborations feel natural from the start. That was the case with Lisette Schumacher. Our journey began even before Root Gallery officially existed. In 2015, we invited her to take part in a pop-up exhibition in Rotterdam’s Groothandelsgebouw, marking the first of many moments we’d work together.
Photography by Jacqueline Fuijkschot
An evolving practice
In her early years, Lisette painted on canvas, later transitioning to wooden panels and refining her distinctive visual language. Her way of working is both meticulous and intuitive. Her paintings build up gradually, in very thin layers, translating architectural references into rhythmic, often musical compositions.
Her ongoing fascination with space, light, and colour remains at the heart of what she creates, even as her process and ideas continue to evolve. Currently, she travels to California (USA) every now and then for inspiration. The mid-century architecture and beautiful skies are the foundation of her mesmerizing paintings. This was also the location where she decided she didn't want to paint on wooden panels anymore, a transparent material suits her work better (for now at least).
Her artist residency in Los Angeles marked the end of her research into Le Corbusier and the beginning of a new focus: the Mid-Century Modern architectural style. The city’s famous light had a big influence on her. She first noticed its effect when visiting the Stahl House in the Hollywood Hills. That visit changed everything, it led her to work with plexiglass and to shift her attention toward light, reflection, and transitions of colour.
Working together
Lisette’s work was included in several exhibitions at our first space on the Zwaanshals in Rotterdam which opened in 2018, and in 2017 she made her first art fair appearance with us at KunstRAI. In 2019, she had her first solo show at Root Gallery: Le Poème électronique, where her fascination with light and architecture became more pronounced. During that period she did her research about Le Corbusier, mostly in France.
That same year, we travelled together to Los Angeles for a group exhibition in a local museum, a trip that expanded her international reach and marked an important moment in her career.
Later that year, Lisette also presented work in the duo show Radiant Touch with Saïd Kinos in Guangzhou, China. This opportunity came through a connection made by Donald Schenkel and Yvonne with Angela, the gallery owner at ART23 Contemporary Art Gallery. The chance to exhibit such a large body of work abroad was rare, and the experience was enriched by a warm welcome and a thoughtfully curated side programme that included talks, a workshop, and multiple visits from the Dutch consul.
By 2021, Lisette had taken a new step in her practice, creating an installation for her solo show Polychromie Architecturale at our second location, an immersive piece inspired by Le Corbusier’s architectural colour theory, realised during the Covid pandemic. The small-scale opening, just between lockdowns, allowed visitors to experience the harmony of colour in an intimate way.
Her work has since been part of nearly every major presentation we’ve created. In 2024, her work was included in our first booth at Art Rotterdam and later that year in our PAN Amsterdam presentation.
Looking back
We asked Lisette about her personal favorite moment of working together.
"There are actually two. First, the duo presentation with Saïd Kinos - Radiant Touch - in 2019 in Guangzhou, China. This came about through a connection made by Donald Schenkel and Yvonne with Angela, the gallery owner at ART23 Contemporary Art Gallery. It was an incredible opportunity to show so many works on the other side of the world. The gallery also organised a special programme around the exhibition, and the warm welcome by Angela was unforgettable. The Dutch consul and his wife visited twice, and I gave a talk, lecture, and workshop while I was there. Looking back, it was a very special experience.
The second is my solo presentation Polychromie Architecturale (shown on the photos below) at the gallery during the Covid pandemic in 2021. With exhibitions and fairs cancelled, there was more time to create. I developed an immersive installation where visitors could experience the harmony of colour. The palette came from Le Corbusier’s architectural colour theory. The opening was small - right between lockdowns - but seeing people step into the space and be momentarily carried away by the experience made the months of work worthwhile."
A long-term collaboration
"I follow my own path in my artistic research, but Yvonne - the gallery owner of Root Gallery - is always there with thoughtful feedback when I need it. She’s supportive and genuinely curious about what I’m creating. Throughout the year, she gives me opportunities to present my newest work to a broad and varied audience, often at fairs in the Netherlands and abroad, and sometimes through gallery exhibitions. It’s also helpful to brainstorm together about ideas or practical matters. And Yvonne is often the very first person to see a new piece, both in process and when it’s finished."
About your recent presentations
"During my solo presentation at the KunstRAI recently, I showed a mix of works from earlier series and my newest body of work: Sunrise at Griffith. When Yvonne asked last year if I wanted to do the solo this year, I immediately knew I wanted to debut this new series. The timing felt right. I was interested in showing visitors a curated selection from my recent work inspired by Mid-Century Modern architecture and the impact of light and reflection. There’s always a reference to the three-dimensionality of buildings in my work, and that came through in the presentation."
Looking forward
With the KunstRAI 2025 behind us, we're taking a moment to reflect on the years of collaboration and growth that have brought us here. At the same time, we’re already looking forward. Root Gallery will officially reopen its renovated gallery space this September, and Lisette will be part of our upcoming programme. More on that soon.
Solo booth at the KunstRAI, photography by Jacqueline Fuijkschot
Lisette’s trajectory shows how an artist can remain loyal to a core set of themes - space, light, rhythm - while radically shifting materials and presentation over time. From canvas to wooden panels, from architectural research in France to the elusive qualities of Californian light, her practice continues to unfold in surprising, precise, and deeply personal ways. As a gallery, it’s a privilege to be part of that development, not just as an exhibitor, but as a partner in conversation, someone who sees new work before it’s finished, who visits the studio when things are still uncertain. It’s this long-term, mutual trust that forms the foundation of what we build together.
After more than a decade of collaboration, Lisette’s work remains an anchor in our programme. And as Root Gallery prepares to fully reopen its doors in September 2025, we’re thrilled that she’ll continue to be part of this next chapter.
Curious to see her work in real life? You’re warmly invited to visit Root Gallery this autumn. And if you'd like a personal preview or more information, feel free to get in touch. We’re always happy to share more about the artists and stories that shape our gallery.
