Bio

Wouter van de Koot (1978°), lives and works in Antwerp, Belgium. In 2001 he obtained a BA in Visual Arts at the Utrecht School of Arts, followed in 2018 by a MA in painting at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, after which he went on to win the Award of Buggenhout- Kunstprijs Pieter Vanneste for Drawing and
Printmaking 2018. Recent exhibitions include solo and duo shows at Gallery Vriend van Bavink, This Art Fair, and Gasunie (NL).

Statement

“In my paintings and drawings I have always been drawn to the theatrical drama found in religious rituals, mythology or history. The human body with its vulnerability and beauty, its lust, weakness and strength, have long fascinated me. I like to work in different materials, going from oils to watercolor to color pencil or inks, often in thin layers of translucent colour. I particularly love the fragile and flowing nature of watercolor. My figurative style is rooted in the tradition of European medieval and renaissance painting. My characters often find themselves in fictional landscapes, strewn with natural or manmade phenomena like clouds, explosions, smoke or light. They seem to partake in mysterious rituals, moving between the mundane and the obscure. My imagery is rooted in personal experiences, fears, dreams and desires which are connected with (art) historical themes and characters. I like to use myself and the people around me as my models, but also take the freedom to cite from existing imagery.”

Wouter van de Koot

2022

Larey G’s Living Room | group show | Coppejans Gallery | Antwerp //B

Higher Ground | group show | PAKT | Antwerp //B | curated by Kristof Morel

2020

Through Walls | group show | Galerie Dessers, YOC | Hasselt //B

2019

The Soft Parade | duo show with Marjolijn Mandersloot | Nederlandse Gasunie | Groningen //NL

Of Flesh and Stone | duo show with Tja Ling Hu | Gallery Vriend van Bavink | Amsterdam //NL

Ithaka #27 | group show | Leuven //B

Velvet Ropes | group show | Showhouse JayJay | Antwerpen //B

2018

To Be Antwerp | solo shows at Marc Lauwers A Living Gallery & Kavka | Antwerp // B

New Romantics | masters graduation show | Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp | Antwerp  // B

Offering  | solo show | Galerie Van Der Planken | Antwerpen // B

6 voor 6 | group show | Gallery Vriend van Bavink, Loods 6 | Amsterdam // B

Wondrous Pearls | group show | Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp  // B | curated by Spank Moons

2017

Offering | solo show | This Art Fair, Gallery Vriend van Bavink | Amsterdam // NL

Silent Auction | group show | The Drawing Hub | Berlin // D | curated by Jan Philipp- Fruehsorge

Where goes the night | solo show | Gallery Vriend van Bavink | Amsterdam // NL

WATT arts festival, Pink TV | group show | The MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) | Antwerp //B | curated by Dawid Wojtalewicz

The Lost Posters exhibition | group show | CC De Steiger | Meenen //B | curated by Lee Ranaldo & Jan Van Woensel

2016

Underground School of Contemporary Art | group show | Mercado Post Office | Antwerp //B | curated by Jan van Woensel & Mynd

Belgium Performance Festival III | group show | VUB | Brussels //B | curated by Stefan Wouters

Setting the Scene | group show | Factor 44 | Antwerp (B) | curated by Wouter van de Koot

2015

Summer Salon | group show | Lubomirov/Angus-Hughes Gallery | London //GB

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

2014

Into the Hills then | solo show | Closed Gallery | Antwerp //B

(In)Visible, The Shape Open Exhibition | group show | Shape Gallery | London //GB

A Comfortable Man | group show | Wilton’s Music Hall | London //GB | curated by MC Llamas

2013

Aquachrome | group show | Manifest Gallery | Cincinnati //USA

2012

Beauty of an Ugly Truth | group show | Gallery Vriend van Bavink | Amsterdam //NL | curated by Gianni Hilgemann (Berlinartprojects)

Truc Troc 8th| group show | Bozar, Palace of Fine Arts | Brussels //B

2011

The Switch | solo show | Ponyhof Gallery | Antwerp //B

Pop Secret | group show | Atelier Solarshop | Antwerp //B | curated by Liv Vaisberg

PAINT! | group show | de Stadsgalerij | Amersfoort //NL | curated by John Konijn

Truc Troc 7th| group show | Bozar, Palace of Fine Arts | Brussels //B

2010

White Lies | solo show | Oever 21 | Antwerp //B

Riffling Through My Drawers | group show | WEI Art Space | Eindhoven //NL

2009

Die Zeit of Drawing | group show | Climate Gallery | Long Island, New York //US

HIWAAR Expo 2060 | Site specific installations in Antwerp //B | curated by Erik van In

2008

OBJECT | solo show | Atelier 5 | Bonn //D

International Prize Hoppeland for Painting 2008 | group show | Poperinge //B

2007

Royal Dutch Painting Prize 2007 | group show | Kunstmuseum Den Haag | The Hague //NL

Trust | solo show | Galerie S&S | Antwerp //B

2005

Breath | solo show | Odeon | Zwolle //NL

2004

Young Talent Award | group show | GAU | Utrecht //NL

2001

The Live Room | group show | Centraal Museum Utrecht | curated by Klaas Hoek

Awards & nominations

2018  Winner of the Award Pieter Vanneste for Drawing and Printmaking 2018

2007  Royal Dutch Painting Prize 2007 (nominated)

2001  Young Talent Award 2001, PKU

Artist residencies

2022  Atelier FAAR | Antwerp //B

2016  Underground School of Contemporary Art | Mercado Post Office |
           Antwerp //B

2001  The Live Room | Centraal Museum Utrecht //NL

Publications & Press

2019  Catalogue Ithaka #27 | LOKO Cultuur, Leuven

2018   Jan Stassijns | interview on ‘To Be Antwerp’ in Gazet van Antwerpen,                       27/11/2018  Kunstzone magazine | centerfold publication | no. 02 March             2018

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

2014  Catalogue ‘A Comfortable Man’| Cathal Smyth & MC Llamas, London.

2013  Karen Chambers | Aquachrome: Contemporary Watercolor | exhibition               review on AEQAI , 24/11/2013

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  Rob Schonen, ‘Pittig met balpen, maf in potlood ’| exhibition review in                   Eindhovens Dagblad, 09/04/2010

2009  Catalogue ‘Die Zeit of Drawing’| Climate Gallery, New York Catalogue                    ‘Hiwaar Expo 2060’| Antwerpen