Contemporary Blend
UNKnowN Amsterdam presents: Contemporary Blend. Enter the UNKnowN and discover the work of nine international contemporary artists. With over 60 works on display, this diverse selection offers something for everyone’s taste.
Iris Bavelaar (1992, Amsterdam) is an Amsterdam-based artist who is captivated by how geometric compositions can convey emotional expression. She uses shapes to give form to feelings that would otherwise remain intangible. Characterized by a delicate aesthetic, her work reveals the beauty of balance and the subtle power of softness.
Ravian Derrière (1991, Amsterdam), known as "de billenman" (the bootyman), is a talented artist from Amsterdam. His joyful paintings of women and sunny situations provide instant spring moments for everyone.
Cenk Duzyol (1981, Istanbul) has been exploring the relationship between humans and technology since 2004. Through contemporary storytelling, his works examine the impact of technology and modernization on society. Duzyol’s figurative compositions convey a sense of unease and dystopia, yet include a glimmer of hope and optimism expressed through an ironic and humorous language.
Roy Gerritsen (1980, Amsterdam) graduated with honors from the Utrecht School of Arts (HKU) and has devoted his time to music visualization. First through print (designing CD covers, party flyers, and vinyl sleeves) and then moving into animation, motion graphics, and creative coding. Roy is driven by his passion to innovate and is determined to create a synergy between design and technology, resulting in digital art.
Lieuwe van Gogh (1991, Amsterdam) is a direct descendant of Vincent van Gogh. Lieuwe started painting from a young age and graduated from Mix Art Academy when he was just 16. After years of working as a sous-chef, he developed his own unique and recognizable style of painting with squeeze bottles and cutlery. In 2022, he created the sponsor lithograph for the Dutch Museum of Lithography, unknowingly using the same scratching technique as Vincent used in his lithographs.
Kees te Kolsté (1961, Zaandam) grew up among artists and attended the Painting School in Zwolle. Despite not having an academic education, he has built an extensive body of work that showcases many facets. Te Kolsté's work ranges from surrealistic images from his early youth to influences from Picasso and the Cubists, up to his current paintings, which reference the Abstract Expressionists of North America.
Susan Meinen (1984, Westzaan) creates captivating compositions using leftover paper forms or paints them on canvas. Her collages and paintings, inspired by nature, feature vibrant, vivid, and unmixed colors. Influenced by zoologist and illustrator Ernst Haeckel, Meinen’s work showcases a rich organic world filled with absurd and fascinating organisms.
Matthew van Liessum (1989, Antwerpen) is a contemporary artist with a flexible approach towards form, medium, and color. He creates abstract works inspired by the tradition of the abstract expressionists, characterized by their gestural, energetic, and compositionally balanced nature. A major influence on his art, Matthew always paints to music, which reinforces his expressive and free-flowing style.
Victor van Tienen (1989, Utrecht) is an independent artist curious about using as many different materials as possible. "Ideally, I learn something new with each work. I like to be guided by the process and the ideas that arise during creation, and that usually starts the next work." Victor creates paintings, installations, and sculptures.
