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.
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
2018 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
2018 The figure in the carpet, with Mathieu Cherkit and Marenne Welten, Albada Jelgersma Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
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
Mathieu Cherkit, Misha de Ridder, Rens Horn, Rob Johannesma, Matt Kleberg, Jule Korneffel, Karen Lee Williams, Erin O’Keefe, Marjolein Rothman, Bettie van Haaster, Arjan van Helmond, Marenne Welten
June 13 - July 11, 2020Misha de Ridder, Rens Horn, Rob Johannesma, Marjolein Rothman, Bettie van Haaster, Arjan van Helmond, Marenne Welten
January 17 - February 29, 2020Mathieu Cherkit, Misha de Ridder, Rens Horn, Rob Johannesma, Jule Korneffel, Karen Lee Williams, Erin O’Keefe, Marjolein Rothman, Bettie van Haaster, Arjan van Helmond, Marenne Welten
December 21 - December 21, 2019Mathieu Cherkit, Rens Horn, Karen Lee Williams, Erin O’Keefe, Marjolein Rothman, Bettie van Haaster, Arjan van Helmond, Marenne Welten
March 2 - April 26, 2019Mathieu Cherkit, Arjan van Helmond, Marenne Welten
June 15 - July 27, 20182019
2018
2018
2018
2010