It is well known: social media encourage us to constantly share our experiences and to respond to the posts and images that others share. Handing out “Likes” can be casual and fleeting. Receiving “Likes,” however, often triggers a dose of happiness-inducing chemicals. The effect of these bursts of dopamine is a fascinating phenomenon that Maartje Folkeringa has been exploring for some time. Partly from her own experience, but also as an abstract concept. What makes this new series of works so striking and contemporary is precisely the transformation of the fleeting “Like” into a carefully and precisely handcrafted ceramic “Like” as an object. The shiny objects in attractive colors hold something triumphant and comforting at the same time. “Look at me, you’ve earned me!”

Text: We Like Art, on the occasion of the presentation Like (swipe) at We Like Art with Niels Post and Petra van Noort.