Wouter van de Koot

About

Artworks

CV

ABOUT

Wouter van de Koot paints enigmatic scenario’s in which historical and mythological characters mingle with elements from his everyday life. He evokes a tragicomic world, strewn with human figures, seemingly submerged in some sort of ritual act. Their actions may seem mundane at times, but clearly contain a dark an mysterious side, like echoes of the subconscious. In contrast with this dark side, the work is made in brightly coloured layers of transparent oils, inks or watercolour. His imagery alternates between a clear graphic approach and the expressive in which the spontaneous gesture and quiet precision hold a delicate balance between control and letting go. As in a collage, the motives tumble upon each other, eclectic and baroque. Van de Koot feels at home in the underbelly of dark humour and mystery, and leads us to the vulnerable body and games of power and trust. He invites us to find beauty in the grotesque and comfort in the ephemeral.

ArtWORKS

Curriculum Vitae Wouter van de Koot

Wouter van de Koot ( 1978 )

Education

2016 – 2018 Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts, MA Painting (B)

1997 – 2001 HKU (Utrecht School of fine Arts), BA Visual Art/Painting, Utrecht (NL)

Lives and works in Antwerp, Belgium.

Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions :

2019

Upcoming: The Slow Show | Gasunie | Groningen (NL)

Of Flesh and Stone | Gallery Vriend van Bavink | Amsterdam (NL)

2018

New Romantics | Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp | Antwerp (B)

2017

Offering | This Art Fair, Gallery Vriend van Bavink | Amsterdam (NL)

Where goes the night | Gallery Vriend van Bavink | Amsterdam (NL)

2014
Into the Hills then | Closed Art Gallery | Antwerp (B)

2011
The Switch | Ponyhof Gallery | Antwerp (B)

2010
White Lies | Oever 21 | Antwerp (B)

2008
OBJECT | Atelier 5 | Bonn (D)

2007
Trust | Galerie S&S | Antwerp (B)

Selected Group Shows :

2018

To Be Antwerp 2018 | Marc Lauwers A Living Gallery & Kavka | Antwerpen (B)

Showcase | Galerie Van Der Planken | Antwerpen (B)

6 voor 6 | Gallery Vriend van Bavink, Loods 6 | Amsterdam (NL)

Wondrous Pearls | Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp | curated by Spank Moons

2017

The Drawing Hub silent auction | The Drawing Hub | Berlin (D) | curated by Jan Philipp Fruehsorge

WATT arts festival, Pink TV | The MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) | curated by Dawid Wojtalewicz

The Lost Posters exhibition | CC De Steiger | Meenen (B) | with: Christine Clincx, Louis de Cordier, Daniel Johnston, Maryam Najd, Joris Van de Moortel, Wouter van de Koot, Anke Verret… | curated by Lee Ranaldo & Jan van Woensel

2016
Underground School of Contemporary Art | Mercado | Antwerp (B) | curated by Jan van Woensel & Mynd

Belgium Performance Festival III | VUB | Brussels (B) | with Anna Kosarewka, Bart van Dijck, Dennis Tyfus, Francis Denys, Karina Beumer, Wouter van de Koot…| curated by Stefan Wouters

Setting the Scene | F44 (sic) | Antwerp (B) | with Linda Molenaar, Mathieu V. Staelens, Casper Verborg… organised by Wouter van de Koot

2015
Summer Salon | Lubomirov/Angus-Hughes Gallery | London (GB)

Let Grass Roots Grow | A-side B-side gallery | London (GB) curated by Ronan Bowes

2014
(In)Visible, the Shape Open Exhibition | Shape Gallery | London (GB) | supported by Yinka Shonibare

A Comfortable Man | Wilton’s Music Hall | London (GB) | with Michal Cole, Delta, Wendy Mayer, Gavin Nolan, John Stark, Wouter van de Koot…| curated by MC Llamas

2013

Aquachrome | Manifest Gallery | Cincinnati (USA)

Art Truc Troc 9th | Bozar, Palace of Fine Arts | Brussels (B)

2012
Bhart #01 | Drukkerij D | Antwerp (B)

Incubate Open Source | Koepelhal | Tilburg (NL) curated by Merijn Denkers

Beauty of an Ugly Truth | Galerie Vriend van Bavink | Amsterdam (NL) | curated by 2X2 Projects (Gianni Hilgemann

2011

Pop Secret | Atelier Solarshop | Antwerp (B) | curated by Ponyhof Gallery (Liv Vaisberg)

PAINT! | de Stadsgalerij | Amersfoort (NL) | curated by John Konijn

Truc Troc 7th| Bozar, Palace of Fine Arts | Brussels (B)

2010
Riffling Through My Drawers | WEI Art Space | Eindhoven (NL)

2009
Die Zeit of Drawing | Climate Gallery | Long Island, New York (US)

HIWAAR Expo 2060 | Site specific installations in Antwerp(Borgerhout) (B) | curated by Erik van In

ToxoLogica | Transitzone | Antwerp (B) | with John Konijn, Wouter van de Koot, Jetske Verhoeven | organised by Wouter van de Koot

2008
International Prize Hoppeland for Painting 2008 | Poperinge (B)

2007
Royal Dutch Painting Prize 2007 | Gemeentemuseum | The Hague (NL)

2006
Hanging | H.art Gallery | Antwerp (B)

2004
Young Talent Award | GAU | Utrecht (NL)

2001
The Live Room | Centraal Museum Utrecht | curated by Klaas Hoek

2000
Admiratio | de Academiegalerie | Utrecht (NL) | curated by Harrie Peters

Publications / Press

Publications/ Catalogues

2019 Catalogue Ithaka #27 | LOKO Cultuur, Leuven

2018 Jan Stassijns | interview about ‘To Be Antwerp’ in Gazet van Antwerpen, 27/11/2018

Kunstzone magazine | centerfold publication of my work | no. 02 March 2018

2017 Edo Dijksterhuis | ‘De kunst van het weglaten’ | exhibition review in Het Parool, 29/09/2017 ****

2016 ‘I want to create my own scene’ | interview by Mathieu V. Staelens

2014 Catalogue ‘A Comfortable Man’| London

2012 INDA 6 (International Drawing Annual) | Manifest Gallery & Drawing Center,
Cincinnati | USA.

2011 Ignasi Centelles | The Polymorphic Dreams of Wouter van de Koot | article on
Mutantinvasion, online magazine, 13/10/2011

Liv Vaisberg | Painted images and Photography: When painting relies on digital
Media (III) | article on Ponyhoffreshpaint blog, 06/09/2011

‘WEI 2009-2010’| publication by cultural initiative WEI.nu | Eindhoven

Liv Vaisberg,’ Portraying Absence’ | article on Ponyhoffreshpaint blog,10/03/2011

2010 Review ‘Riffling’| Eindhovens Dagblad | 09/04/2010

2003 Review ‘Weten wat de wind wil’ | De Gelderlander

2001 Catalogue ‘Final Examination HKU’| Utrecht.

Awards / Nominations

2018

Winner of the Prize of Buggenhout, Artaward Pieter Vanneste for drawing and printmaking| Buggenhout (B)

2007
Nominated for the Royal Dutch Painting Prize 2007 (NL)

2001
Young Talent Prize 2001 | PKU | Utrecht (NL)