FreelingWaters

“We sit exactly between the worlds of interior design and autonomous art” — Job Wouters (one half of FreelingWaters)

Portrait by Alexandra Rowley

“We sit exactly between the worlds of interior design and autonomous art” — Job Wouters (one half of FreelingWaters)

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Calligraphy, painting, graphic design, furniture and architecture, FreelingWaters takes hybrid creativity to new levels.

This Dutch duo merges the artistry of Gijs Frieling (Amsterdam, NL 1966) and Job Wouters (Leiden, NL 1980). Frieling has received international recognition for his large-scale paintings and murals, bringing together 18th-century folk art and pre-Rennaissance wall painting. Wouters, a graphic designer turned master calligrapher, is recognised for his singular psychedelic aesthetic. Exquisitely crafted, FreelingWaters’ collaborative work becomes a commentary on a culture dominated by visual monotony and mass production.

They’re a tried-and-tested pair who create fantastical work. They've joined forces on exhibitions, books, and rework antique furniture, where geometric patterns and organic decorations seem to jump off the surface.

Artist CV

Recent career event

In June 2024, FreelingWaters created large-scale murals for the Boijman Museum. In collaboration with Air Rotterdam, Rotterdam Architectuurmaand and Gemeente Rotterdam.

Exhibitions

Their debut collection premiered at London Design Week and Design Miami/Shanghai in the autumn of 2021. In May 2022, they opened their first American solo exhibition at The Future Perfect in New York.

Fashion collaborations

At 2024 Paris Fashion Week Men’s, Lemaire presented their Fall-Winter 2024 season. They enlisted long standing Wrong Shop collaborators Gijs Frieling and Job Wouters of FreelingWaters to paint several patterns for the garments.

The pair also created a ‘live painted’ mural in Paris’ Grand Palais for fashion designer Dries van Noten.