Wessel Huisman (1954)
Beijing
Morning in May 1964
Acrylic on canvas
100 x 140 cm
The Netherlands 2016
Signed verso
Urban landscape
Dutch Architecture
The painting by Wessel Huisman presents a semi-abstract depiction of the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing, designed by architect Rem Koolhaas.
Artistic interpretation
The atmosphere of the painting is characterized by a muted color palette dominated by shades of blue, gray, and brown.
The style is characterized by broad brushstrokes and a blend of defined lines with blurred edges, creating a sense of movement and fluidity within the urban landscape.
The painting depicts an artistic interpretation of modern architecture amidst a cityscape. It captures the essence of urban development through abstract forms that suggest buildings under construction or transformation.
It's an interesting painting because it reflects on the dynamic nature of city life and architecture’s role in shaping our environment.
Artistic process
It also offers insight into Huisman’s artistic process which involves layering colors and textures to evoke emotion and narrative without relying on precise realism.
Wessel Huisman
Artist's statement: "Painting in the light of reality".
Whilst going to the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Arnhem in 1979, Wessel Huisman studied history at the Radboud University in Nijmegen. In 1981 he graduated with honors in social and economic history.
Immediately after he graduated at the Academy in Arnhem in 1984, Wessel Huisman became Managing Director of the same institute. From then onwards he has had numerous exhibitions throughout Europe, especially in The Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. His work has also been exhibited in Asia - Japan, Vietnam and South Korea. Since 2006 he has worked full-time as a visual artist and photographer.
Wessel Huisman specialized in philosophy, philology and empiric sociology. Although he has never worked as a scientist his artistic oeuvre reveals an intriguing and unique interest in the past. Thinking in terms of time episodes and historical development - a kind of ‘mind traveling in time’- he has decisively determined his orientation not only on the past but also with the present. His artistic activities brought him to the realization that his scientific interest and the fascination for his own past spring from the same source.
Light
Wessel Huisman paints light. As a starting point he often utilizes old black and white photographs. He is not interested in the nostalgic images as such but is fascinated by the working of memories and how they affect the way one experiences the present.
During the last twenty years he has noticed that the light captured in these photographs and in his paintings offer him an opportunity to travel through time. He calls attention to what images and memories people carry with them. He then releases them and lets them slip into the present.
Colors
Huisman´s way of working shows the specific interplay between the figurative elements and the material expression within his paintings. Over a period of time he has reduced the number of colors into black and white, in fact a countless number of more or less transparent shades of grey applied to the canvas layer after layer.
However, nowadays on several paintings, Huisman tends to apply more and more modest colors.
Italy
Very recent (early 2024) the artist moved to Italy. Fascinated by Roman history, his paintings in the past years are influenced by the Italian architecture. Wessel decided to live and work in this inspiring environment.
Numerous Exhibitions since 1985:
Coming exhibition 2025
The Netherlands, Amersfoort, Museum Flehite
Latest exhibition 2024 April 4th-May 26th
Italy, Rome, Museo del Foro Romano
Past exhibitions:
Shanghai, Hong Kong
Miami, New York, Canada
Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands