Arjan van Helmond

Arjan van Helmond

What happens if nothing happens? How should we describe, question, take into account what happens every day (or not), but returns every day: the banal, the everyday, the obvious, the ordinary, the background noise? More and more often we find ourselves in a virtual relationship with reality, via our telephones and computers. But where is our life? Where is our body? Where is our space?

In my work I try to trace a path between history, culture, cliché and daily habits; I research the trivial spaces and objects, which we encounter and move in daily without a second glance or thought. I try to appropriate them by painting them with great attention and concentration. I often use photographic material, taken from my own archive or from the internet, but the act of painting must always exceed the photographic level. Painting is by definition an interpretation of the reality, captured by a photograph. The paintings of empty spaces and objects, and more recently also of landscape elements, invite you to make an inner movement: a specific idea comes to the surface, with fragments of memories, followed by emotions and sensations, that belong to them. In my work I’m looking for the psychological potential of the image. At first instance, this process is an exploration of personal experiences associated with places and objects. The everyday things, which you do not give a second glance at first, now suddenly become special and valuable. They‘re able to tell us something about ourselves.

Arjan van Helmond
Corridor #11, 2014
ink, gouache and acrylic on paper
248 x 132 cm (97 5/8 x 52 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Floor #20 (parquette), 2016
gouache, ink and acrylic on paper
70 x 90 cm (27 4/8 x 35 3/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Lamp #4, 2010
gouache and acrylic on paper
53 x 38 cm (20 7/8 x 15 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Ceiling #5, 2010
ink, crayon, gouache and acrylic on paper
76 x 56 cm (29 7/8 x 22 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Neutral zone #13, 2018
ink, gouache and watercolor on paper
42 x 30 cm (16 4/8 x 11 6/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Corridor #10, 2011
ink, guouache and acrylic on paper
76 x 118 cm (29 7/8 x 46 4/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Cloth #2, 2012
gouache and acrylic on paper
57 x 77 cm (22 4/8 x 30 2/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Floor #21, 2017
ink, gouache and acrylic on paper
76 x 114 cm (29 7/8 x 44 7/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
empty chair twice, 2019
ink, gouache and acrylic on paper
40.5 x 35 cm (16 x 13 6/8 inches)
and 29.5 x 20.5 cm (11 5/8 x 8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Blue chairs, 2019
gouache, ink and acrylic on canvas
60 x 80 cm (23 5/8 x 31 4/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Oranges, 2019
ink, gouache and acrylic on canvas
80 x 60 cm (31 4/8 x 23 5/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Agave #4, 2019
gouache and acrylic on paper mounted on canvas
110 x 95 cm (43 2/8 x 37 3/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Almond blossom no 1., 2019
Gouache and acrylic on canvas
40 x 35 cm (15 6/8 x 13 6/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
White flower no. 1, 2019
gouache and acrylic on canvas
40 x 35 cm (15 6/8 x 13 6/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Lemon, 2019
ink, gouache and acrylic on canvas
40 x 35 cm (15 6/8 x 13 6/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Black figs, 2019
ink, gouache and acrylic on canvas
40 x 35 cm (15 6/8 x 13 6/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Green aloë vera no. 1, 2019
gouache and acrylic on canvas
40 x 35 cm (15 6/8 x 13 6/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Mountain ash no. 1, 2019
Gouache and acrylic on canvas
50 x 40 cm (19 6/8 x 15 6/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
White folding table, 2019
Ink, gouache, and acrylic on canvas
57 x 35 cm (22 4/8 x 13 6/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Blue aloë vera no. 5, 2019
Gouache and acrylic on canvas
65 x 50 cm (25 5/8 x 19 6/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Reservoir no. 1, 2019
Gouache and acrylic on silk
35 x 53 cm (13 6/8 x 20 7/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Agave no. 5, 2019
Gouache and acrylic on canvas
0 x 150 x 120 cm (0 x 59 x 47 2/8 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Alexanderplatz, 2013
Watercolour on paper
28 x 28 cm (11 x 11 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Fragment, 2014
Watercolour on paper
28 x 28 cm (11 x 11 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Mirror, 2013
Watercolour on paper
28 x 28 cm (11 x 11 inches)
Arjan van Helmond
Stokroos, 2019
gouache and acrylic on paper
42 x 30 cm (16 4/8 x 11 6/8 inches)

b. 1971
Lives and works in Amsterdam, Netherlands

EDUCATION
2003-04 Rijksakademie voor Beeldende Kunst, Amsterdam, NL
1997-99 Jan van Eyck Academie, Maastricht, NL
1993-97 Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Vrije Richting, Amsterdam, NL
1989-95 Technische Universiteit, Faculteit van Industrieel Ontwerpen, Delft, NL

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022    Museum More, Gorssel, NL (forthcoming)
2019    Fragments of Garden, Albada Jelgersma Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2017 Jeanne Oosting Prijs, Museum Kranenburgh, Bergen, NL
2017    kleine revolutie, De Nederlandsche Bank, Amsterdam, NL
2017    Neutral Zone, Luceberthuis Bergen, NL
2014    When the exit no longer concerns you, Jan van Eijck academie, Maastricht, NL
2012    The Humdrum, Galerie Juliètte Jongma, Amsterdam, NL
2010    In Pursuit of Happiness, LUMC, Leiden, NL
2009    collecting dust, Galerie Juliètte Jongma, Amsterdam, NL
2008    new paintings, NADA, Galerie Juliètte Jongma, Miami, USA
2007    Navigator, Gallery FA Projects, London, UK
2007    Navigator, Galerie Juliètte Jongma, Amsterdam, NL
2006    The Chrystal World, Chung King Project, Los Angeles, USA
2005    Arjan van Helmond, Gallery FA Projects, London, UK

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 Try this at home, Albada Jelgersma Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2020 Seven X Seven, Albada Jelgersma Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
2020 INNENRAUM – Five artists from the Netherlands, Galerie Anja Knoess, Cologne, DE
2018    Lucebert, Galerie Nouvelle Image, Den Haag, NL
2017    Zwart, Museum Kranenburgh, Bergen, NL
2016    Wolvencampprijs, Jubileum tentoonstelling, Heartpool, Hengelo,NL
2016    Lo and Behold, Manifesta Office, curated by Juliette Jongma, Amsterdam, NL
2015    Happiness is boring, Galerie Martin Mertens, Berlin, DE
2015    De burgemeestder van Veurne, curated by Nina Folkersma and Anne-Françoise Lesuisse, Emergent Gallery, Veurne, BE
2014    Staged city, Arti, Amsterdam, NL
2013    Le peintre de la vie moderne, Galerie Jochen Hempel, Leipzig, DE
2013    Zuhause, GMüR, Berlin, DE
2013    The Legend of the Shelves, Autocenter, Berlin, DE
2012    Nominatie Wolvecampprijs, Hengelo, NL
2012    30 days of peace love and painting, Ellen de Bruijne Projects, Amsterdam, NL
2012    Through an open window, Institut Néerlandais, Paris, FR
2012    Door schildersogen/ From a painter’s perspecive, Arti et Amicitae, Amsterdam, NL
2011    What’s up? Dordrecht’s Museum, Dordrecht, NL
2011    Tast-zin, Arti et Amicitae, Amsterdam, NL
2011    The Reality effect, Anne Moseri-Marlio Gallery, Zürich, CH
2010    Decompression #10, National Gallery, Jakarta, IN , curated by Agung Hujatnika
2010    Blick ohne Ende, Autocenter, Berlin/ Dordrecht, DE/NL , curated by Jurriaan Benschop
2009    Towing the line, drawing space, White Box, New York, USA
2009    Opportunities, BravinLee programs, New York, USA
2009    Altes Europa, Schickeria, Berlin, DE, curated by Gesine Borchert
2009    I love the Benelux, Gallery Virgil de Voldere, New York, USA
2008    Dyptichs, Gallery FA Projects, London, UK
2007    Berlin_nl, Nederlandse Ambassade, Berlin, DE
2006    Le Nouveau Siecle, Museum van Loon, Amsterdam, NL
2006    Kaminzimmer, Galerie Grieder contemporary, Zürich, CH
2005    Le Peintre de la vie moderne, Museum De Paviloens, Almere, NL
2005    Double Happiness, Biz-art, Shanghai, C
2005    International painting on paper, GBK, Sydney, AU

SYMPOSIA, CURATORIAL AND RESEARCH PROJECTS
2016-present member of programming commitee Nieuw Dakota, Amsterdam, NL
2016/2017       Professor 2D, Breitneracademie, AHK, Amsterdam NL
2016                Start-Up, Curator for the exhibition with the work of a new generation in painting. Helena Hoogenraad, Nora Axnick, Suzanne Haarhuis, Hannes Lichte a.m.o. Nieuw Dakota, Amsterdam, NL
2016                Member of advisory board CAWA, gemeente Amsterdam, NL
2013-present Professor Paintig department, AKI ArtEz, Enschede, NL
2013-2014      Professor Handdrawing, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, NL
2013                Guest teacher minor Drawing, Avans Academie, ’s Hertogenbosch, NL
2010-2012      member of the advisory board Buitenland-ateliers, Mondriaan Fonds, Amsterdam, NL
2011                The Reality effect, Curator for the exhibition with contributions of Alon Levin, Lidwien van de Ven and Arjan van Helmond, Galerie Anne Moseri-Marlio, Zürich, CH
2010-09          member of the advisory board Publicatiesubsidies, Mondriaan Fonds (former Fonds BKVB), Amsterdam, NL
2005                Close reading, Curator for the exhibition with contributions of Ben Cain, Gert Robijns, Kan Xuan, Tim Braden and Arjan van Helmond, Galerie Juliètte Jongma, Amsterdam, NL

Research project: Dialogen in de schilderkunst, The Collection, in collaboration with Sara van der Heide, De overslag, Eindhoven, NL

RESIDENCIES
2016/2017 Luceberthuis, Bergen, NL
2006 Cité International des arts, Atelier Holsboer, Paris
2005 Biz-art, Shanghai
2003 RuangRupa, Jakarta

PUBLICATIONS
2016    Gute Nacht Einsamkeit, bundel met Maria Barnas, 99 Publishers
2008    Navigator, monografie, met teksten van Gilda Williams, Zlatko Wurzberg en Ingrid Commandeur, Veenman publishers
2007    Jakarta Megalopolis, horizontal and vertical observations, Stani Michiels en Arjan van Helmond, Valiz Publishers
2000    The smell of Sunday soup, artist-book, published by Jan van Eyck Akademie

BIBLIOGRAPHY
2017    Imago Mundi, Luciano Benetton collection, Antiga editioni, Italy
2016    Start-Up: Start-up Start-over, text-images-design, production AKI Enschede
2015    Another Day, nieuwe aankopen ABN AMRO collectie
2013    The Drawer, vol 5, Sophie Toulouse, Barbara Soyer, Paris
2011    Tastzin, Hans den Hartog Jager, SSP, Amsterdam
2010    Over vazen gesproken, Ko van Dun, Art Update
2010    Ongegeneerd dwalen in andermans dromen, Loukie Hoos, Tubelight
2009    Unlocked 2.5, Rabo Art collection, Jaap Bremer
2009    Eigenlijk Eigenltijds: uit de kunstcollectie van de Nederlandsche Bank, Gert Eijkelboomn
2009    Berlin_nl, een keuze uit de kunstcollectie KPN, Christoph Tannert, Jurriaan Benschop
2006    Le Nouveau Siècle, Xander Karskens
2006    Metropolis M, Topografie van de bedachte ruimte, Ingrid Commandeur
2006    Tema Celeste, Selfportrait

COLLECTIONS
The Saatchi Gallery
Museum Het Domein
De Nederlandsche Bank
Chadha Art Collection
Akzo Nobel Art Foundation
Schunck
The Schorr Family Collection
Rabo Kunstcollectie