Martijntje Cornelia

“I would love to see the world covered in sweetness. It is better to set eyes on
sugar than consume the white grains.” – Martijntje Cornelia

Martijntje Cornelia is known as the Queen of Candy Floss. No other artist in the
world works entirely with Candy Floss like her. Cornelia is inspired by the
transforming nature of fluffy sugar. When you expose the fluffy sugar, known as
candy, to a certain environment it will transform from its fluffy shape to a
flexible and soft substance. What remains is a piece of Candy Floss that can
vary from fragile to robust. Cornelia believes that the transition from fluffy to
hardened stone is equivalent to life's transformation. The different phases of the
material provide solace. Thin threads feel fragile and vulnerable, the lumpy
sweet clouds bring joy, the sticky phase is a sticky business, and the hardened
crystals evoke wonder and wisdom.

Martijntje Cornelia's artworks are always a co-production of herself, candy floss
and nature: ‘Candy Floss can never be fully controlled. The pink cloud that
comes first can crystallize quickly or partially. Some transformations take
longer, perhaps years, growing slowly until they manifest.’ Cornelia translates
these internal revolutions and transformations from the candy into jewelry, wall
pieces and sculptures. All the Candy Floss crystals and rocks you see here
originate from previously made artworks. Nothing is lost and everything, even
minuscule leftovers, are reused. Next to this, she builds moving installations and
performances with the fluffy clouds.

The fluffy cloud is always the starting point of her work. ‘The airy sweet cloud
is where my work always begins. For me, candy floss is magical. The feeling of
joy starts with your very first contact with fluffy sugar. Seeing such a magical
airy cloud. Smelling the burnt sugar. The sweet little cloud touching your lips.
You take a bite and it's gone. A sensation of sugar sliding in. It's a snapshot, a
few seconds, but so magical.’

She would love to immortalize the airy cloud of magic, her favorite moment.
‘What we all want, isn't it? Capturing those sweet moments forever. Freeze time.
Reality is different. The magical cloud will change, just like so many moments in
our lives. Sometimes difficult, which is why we often try to cling to the
beginning.’ With her work, she wants to show that the new form can be just as
beautiful. The crystallized shape after the transformation can be as special and
magical.

“The ephemeral clouds of sugar transform into luscious sweet rocks.”

Collections:
LAM museum. Sugar Woman, Forever Me, 2022
Museum Vlaardingen. Sweet Shocking Pink Bust, nr.1 Agneta van Reeuwijk, 2024