About

The multi-disciplinary work of Dutch artist Daniël van Nes illuminates an undefined world that may be waiting for us in the future or for some already exist in the present. Heaven or hell, you can decide, while frightening and mysterious it is also tempting and compelling. A parallel universe that once observed slowly but surely creeps into our minds, contaminating everything it touches like a greasy black stain. The real replaced by the virtual, over saturation through the media and the ever-present TV screens with marketing messages that seep into our lives and dreams not unlike religious slogans.

Van Nes’ fascination with the dawn of the Industrial Age and how it changed society forever is reflected in imagery inspired by the Victorians but paired with machinery and strange apparatuses that could come straight out of a Jules Verne story, a sort of futurism as imagined in the 19th century. His characters are trying to protect what is dear to them while slowly but surely losing hold of it, just as it is getting harder and harder to make out truth and reality in a world that is becoming more virtual every day. Advertising is the new religion, replacing meaning with empty slogans and religious icons with brand logos – van Nes’ work is about confession and absolution in a world where Gods and angels are replaced by marketing rules andvirtual identities. His consumer criticism is hidden within ancient-looking frames and real antique containers.

Daniël is known for his installations with “illuminated engravings”, reviving the centuries-old technique of copper and wood engraving. He transposes the technique to modern materials and new visual concepts: the result of his meticulously crafted work – he often spends over a month working on a single piece of relatively small size – can only be seen by use of light.

Born in 1972, in Terneuzen, the Netherlands, van Nes was educated at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium. He was nominated for Dutch Artist of the Year in 2003 and has exhibited extensively in galleries and art fairs around the world. In 2010 and 2011, Daniel was invited to be a curator for ‘BLOOOM – the creative industries art show’, in Cologne, Germany.

Daniël lives and works in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

 

 

Education
1993 – 1997 Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp (B)
1984 – 1987 Academy of Fine Arts Sint-Niklaas (B)

Nominations & Awards
2003 Nomination Dutch Artist Of The Year
1994 Nomination VRI.K.A.

Curator
2011 BLOOOM art show, Cologne (Awarded Germany Land of Many Ideas ‘Selected Landmark 2011′)
2010 BLOOOM art show, Cologne

Selected exhibitions/projects

2012 “Les Animaux”, Strychnin Gallery, Berlin
2012 RAW Art Fair, Rotterdam

2011 ArtFair 21, Staatenhaus am Rhein, Cologne Germany (group)
2011 Civic Museum, Reggio Emilia, Italy (group)
2011 “Enchanted Forest”, Strychnin Gallery Berlin, WWF charity group show
2011 Set design & doll house for Blaas Of Glory music video, starring Tygo Gernandt
2011 Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, Strychnin Gallery Berlin Germany (group)

2010 ArtFair 21, Staatenhaus am Rhein, Cologne Germany (group)
2010 A La Gitane CBK, Rotterdam (group)
2010 Quadrant Fantasies, Seaby Denmark (group)
2010 Museumnacht Schielandshuis, Rotterdam (group)

2009 Xmas Luau, Strychnin Berlin (group)
2009 Painting live on stage with Amanda Palmer, Union Chapel London (click here to read more)
2009 Apocalypse WOW! Museum of Contemporary Art, Rome (group)
2009 Art Fair 21, Cologne (group)
2009 Midsummer Night’s Madness (group)
2009 KunstArt, Bolzano (group)

2008 Fallen Angels, Berlin (solo)
2008 Artief, Diest (group)
2008 Art Fair 21, Cologne (group)
2008 In the Absence of Color, London (group)
2008 Invasion, Dusseldorf (group)
2008 Fusion5 Festival, Cannes (group)

2007 XXX-Mas show, London/Berlin (group)
2007 Kings and Queens and Childhood Dreams, London (group)
2007 Art 21, Cologne (group)
2007 Bridge Art Fair, London (group)
2007 Salon Macabre, New York
2007 Liste, Cologne (group)
2007 Strychnin, Berlin (group)
2007 Dark Hearts & Broken Vows Strychnin, New York (group)

2006 Arcanum/Strychnin, New York (group)
2006 Supperclub, Amsterdam (solo)

2005 Dutch Design Hotel Artemis, Amsterdam (group)
2005 Studio Apart, Amsterdam (solo)
2005 Gallery 45, Westdorpe (group)

2004 Walls gallery, Amsterdam (group)
2004 Apart Media, Teleport Tower Amsterdam (group)

2003 Nomination Artist of the Year, Jaarbeurshallen, Utrecht (group)
2003 Echo Audio, ‘HotBlood’ Terneuzen (solo)
2003 Rotterdams Fabrikaat, Rotown, Rotterdam (group)
2003 Cieremans gallery, Rotterdam (group)
2003 Walls gallery, Amsterdam (group)
2003 Kunst in Ahoy, Rotterdam (art fair)
2003 Kunst Event, Buildingcentre, Antwerp (Belgium – art fair)

2002 Aktueel Expirimenteel Verrassend Progressistisch Groepssalon, Cortewalle castle, Beveren (Belgium – group)
2002 Graphic & multimedia, Halfvol.nl

2001 Zuidzande Church (group)
2001 City Hall, Terneuzen (solo)
2001 Echo Audio, ‘Nude’ Terneuzen (group)

2000 Echo Audio, Terneuzen (solo)

Projects
SellFable City
Victoria Woolstool
The Emilia Project

Teaching/Workshops
2010 Art on The Beach, Rotterdam
2009 Art on The Beach, Your World, Rotterdam
2009 MiniWorld, Municipality of Rotterdam, Rotterdam

Editions/publications
2011 The New English Limited edition Mad Potter’s Tea Set
2010 The New English Limited edition “Tektonic” ceramic plate
2009 Korero Publishing, Art That Creeps

Selected media
2010 The New English “Tektonic Plates” catalog interview
2009 VIRUS Magazine interview by Luise Jankowski
2008 Artists & Illustrators Magazine interview by Lynn Parr
2008 Chris Osburn interview Cannes
2007 White Hot Magazine article by Sylvie Gassaway
2005 Boilingpoint
2005 The Art of Carp
2003 Omroep Terneuzen, radio interview about ‘Hotblood’
2003 PZC article about ‘Hotblood’