Artist Statement
Robert van de Graaf (b. 1983, the Netherlands) is interested in the connection and relation between the mystical in this world, in all its manifestations (the sea, the sky, nature, human built environments, light and darkness), and the sense and the dimension of the spiritual world and our soul.
In his exploration he is seeking the mystical hidden in this world which he translates into metaphorical paintings. The artworks express a complicated interplay of visual impressions and an emotional and spiritual reflection. They give substance to his ongoing journey to seek meaning in life.
With his work Van de Graaf questions human destiny and how we as human beings can develop ourselves and grow on a spiritual level. He wishes his artworks to stimulate an opening towards personal deepening, both for himself and the viewer. The artworks aim to elicit a gaze back at the viewer, a reflection of feelings, crossing the line from observation to introspection.
Van de Graaf draws his inspiration from religious and spiritual stories, mythology, mystical places and the philosophy of life. His poetry, written during or before the creative process, also has a direct influence on his work. He transforms his inspiration into contemporary interpretations while richly referring to artists through all times of art history such as Caspar David Friedrich, Anselm Kiefer, Joan Mitchell and the old masters.
Though primarily working on his oil paintings, he is also using drawings and watercolours during the creation process. The oil paintings are layered, densely merging his diverse range of mark making, the expressive use of colour and studied compositions. His mark making, using brushes and palette knives, is moving from energetic gestural marks to very delicate ones, wishing his mark making to create a language which speaks directly to the heart and soul, not only to the ratio and mind. Throughout the different stages of the work he is adjusting in working speed, working from fast directed intuitive outbursts to precisely observed slower additions. The paintings are often large in scale and balance between the figurative and the abstract, giving a certain freedom to the viewer.
Van de Graaf received a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Architecture (Technical University Delft) in 2009. At an early age he enjoyed an intense private painting and drawing training (1996 – 2001) by the Dutch artist Erica Meyster (1949 – 2006).
Van de Graaf experiences the process of creating as inner battles, freedom and faith.

News
Solo exhibition, ‘A Selection of Recent Works’ in the ‘Salon des Arts’, Maastricht (NL), INSTALLATION VIEW
Exhibition dates; 11 March – 1 May, after 19 March open on appointment
Salon des Arts
Keizer Karelplein 18, Maastricht
The Netherlands
Louis Berkhout
+31 6 51 85 22 63
Solo exhibition, ‘A Selection of Recent Works’ in the ‘Salon des Arts’, Maastricht (NL)
11 March -19 March 2023, after open on appointment until 1 May
Opening 11 March, 14:00 – 18:00. Curated by Ad Himmelreich, former conservator of the Bonnefanten museum (Maastricht, NL). Ad Himmelreich will also open the exhibition and will present the publication he wrote about my work.
SELECTED, for the ‘Emerging Artist Programme 2023’, by ‘Contemporary Art Collectors’
27 January 2023
Visit Contemporary Art Collectors – Emerging Artist Programme 2023 – to visit the Artists Catalogue.
INTERVIEW, with ‘Contemporary Art Collectors’
27 January 2023
Visit Contemporary Art Collectors to read the whole interview!
PUBLICATION, Aesthetica Magazine, Artist Directory & Publication, December / January (2023)
PUBLICATION, Aesthetica Magazine, Artist Directory & Publication
December / January (2023), Issue 110
Work in Progress in the studio, ‘The Alchemy of Dreams’, October 2022
Work in Progress in the studio – ‘The Alchemy of Dreams’
October 2022
VIRTUAL ART EXHIBITION, ‘Fabricated Realities’ by Contemporary Art Collectors
VIRTUAL ART EXHIBITION, ‘Fabricated Realities’ by Contemporary Art Collectors
15 September – 15 November 2022
ONLINE EXHIBITION, ’Tendencies in Painting’ by London Paint Club
ONLINE EXHIBITION, ’Tendencies in Painting’ by London Paint Club
10 August – 10 September 2022
The exhibition features 28 international emerging artists.
New body of work on website, the series ‘Stories of Transition’.
New body of work on website, the series ‘Stories of Transition’.
October 2020 – April 2022
ACAF x Catawiki auction, Curated by Stephanie Manasseh (SM Art Advisory & Accessible Art Fair).
ACAF x Catawiki auction, Curated by Stephanie Manasseh (SM Art Advisory & Accessible Art Fair)
22 – 31 October 2021
ONLINE EXHIBITION, ’Contemporary Narratives’ by London Paint Club
ONLINE EXHIBITION, ’Contemporary Narratives’ by London Paint Club
3 – 24 October 2021
The exhibition features 20 international artists.
WORK IN PROGRESS ‘Stories of Transition’
September 2020 – Working on it
The series consists of 22 oil paintings (one Diptych and one Triptych), 19 Watercolor Drawing Studies and Drawing Studies
REPRESENTATION SINGULART ONLINE GALLERY, Based in Paris
June 2021
SINGULART is a high profile curated online art gallery based in Paris.
VIRTUAL ART FAIR, by Contemporary Art Station, April – June 2021
1 April – 1 June 2021
Presenting works from the new series ‘Silence and The City’.
www.contemporaryartstation.com
COLLECTOR’S VISION INTERNATIONAL ART AWARD, with interview, by Contemporary Art Curator Magazine
March 2021
ONLINE EXHIBITION ‘Infinite Dreams’, by Contemporary Art Curator Magazine
1 February – 1 June 2021
Presenting new works from the series ‘Silence and The City’.
ONLINE EXHIBITION ‘New Horizons’, by Contemporary Art Curator Magazine
3 August – 1 December 2020
Presenting new works from the series ‘Silence and The City’.
STUDIO EXHIBITION, presenting the new series ‘Silence and The City’
29 August – 19 September 2020
Presenting 17 oil paintings and 13 Watercolour Drawing Studies
PUBLICATION BOOK ‘NEW PERSPECTIVES’, with interview, by Contemporary Art Curator Magazine
March 2020
Book
www.contemporaryartcuratormagazine.com/collector-book-new-perspectives
NEW COLLABORATION, Contemporary Art Curator Magazine
January 2019 – Current
www.contemporaryartcurator.com/robert-van-de-graaf/
WORK IN PROGRESS, Series ‘Silence and The City’
2019 September – 2020 September
The series ‘Silence and The City’ is inspired by New York City and the search for contemplation and inner silence in everyday life
PRIVATE STUDIO EXHIBITION, Dutch Art Collector, The Hague, The Netherlands
14 July 2019
Studio exhibition presenting work from the series, ‘The Bible and the Sea’, ‘Saint John’s Cave of Light’ and ‘Visions of St. John the Divine’.
EXHIBITION EUROPOL HEADQUARTERS, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Group Exhibition | 15 January – 15 March 2019
Group exhibition with Anja Vosdingh Bessem, Maria Riemen and Paole Stokman.
ART AND WINE OPENING EXHIBITION, New Studio, The Hague, The Netherlands
29 October 2017
Opening of the new studio at Scheveningen Harbor, with exhibition presenting the new series ‘The Bible and the Sea’ (2016 – 2017).
Classic event 2015, Kortrijk, Belgium
Exhibition Artfair www.classic-event.be
07 – 15 November 2015
Art Laren 2015, Laren, The Netherlands
12 – 14 June 2015
www.artlaren.nl
Represented by the ‘New Place art gallery’ (‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands)
ART & ANTIQUES FAIR, ’s-Hertogenbosch 2015, The Netherlands
19 – 27 April 2015
www.afsh.nl
Represented by the ‘New Place Art gallery’ (‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands)
SOLO EXHIBITION at New Place art gallery (‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands)
SOLO EXHIBITION at New Place art gallery
01 – 30 April 2015
www.new-place-gallery.com
ADAF 2014 (Annual Dutch Art Fair), Amsterdam
Solo Exhibition Artfair
27 & 28 September 2014 – Stand 202
www.adaf.nl