ILJA WALRAVEN -THE ARTIST AND HIS WORK
Ilja Walraven (1959) lives in the Netherlands, where his studio is located in a former hospital. He works at several paintings at a time, to keep up the pace and rhythm, and also because when he gets stuck with one painting he can work on another, keeping the first one at the back of his mind. Another reason for working in that manner is that he often uses many layers of transparent paint and while one layer is drying he can work on another painting. The fact that the artist uses many layers of paint contributes to the high intensity of the colours, especially since Ilja Walraven tends to use very bright colours. The artist is somewhat reluctant to talk about his materials and techniques, because for him that is beside the point. He is aiming at finding his voice in painting, expressing things one cannot say in words, and therefore prefers that everyone interested in his work has a look at it. The internet is, of course, only an indirect way to get to know the paintings and books. When one’s interest is raised, there are other, direct ways to get more acquainted: pay a visit to Gallery Spirit so you can see a large collection of his original paintings.
Despite the reluctance of the artist, we want to inform you here in words about the character of his work. Characteristic for Ilja is that he uses sink and copper in his paintings, that he often leaves part of the unprepared canvas untouched, and that you can see charcoal lines in the painting. Another characteristic is that the forms are monumental most of the times (even in his small sized works). The images definitively remind you of the real world, for instance when you recognise a table or a vase, but often have a touch of fantasy to it, especially when animals are Concerned -- they look like an elephant, a tiger or a kangaroo, but closer inspection reveals that they are fantasy relatives. The artist once remarked that the figurative elements in his work is a way of inviting viewers to enter the imaginary world of art. That is probably why figuration has become a characteristic of his work (and the abstraction of his early period has almost faded away). Yet another characteristic is a touch of humour. At exhibitions you often see viewers smiling in reaction to the paintings, and children are attracted by them. That is one reason why a Dutch author of children’s books suggested to write a story to some paintings of a fantasy elephant, which resulted in a picture book (see below). The intense, clear and bright colours are another characteristic.
ILJA WALRAVEN - TYPE OF WORK
· graphical artwork
· oil on canvas
· acrylic on canvas
· mixed media
· drawings
· sculpture
ILJA WALRAVEN EDUCATION
Koninklijke Academie van Beeldende Kunsten [Royal Academy of Arts], The Hague (1983-1988).
ILJA WALRAVEN - EXHIBITIONS
1988 Galerie Drang Dordrecht
1989 Galerie ArtPropos Den Haag
Galerie Arti Forum Voorburg
1990 Galerie Arti Den Haag
1991 Pallazo Gallio Gravedonna (Italė)
Gallery Frank Bustamente New York (U.S.A.)
Gallerie Wim Vromans Amsterdam
1992 Galerie ArtPropos Den Haag
Galerie Kis Amsterdam
Galerie J.A. Eindhoven
1993 Jan van Hoof Galerie Den Bosch
Galerie ArtPropos Den Haag
1994 Pulchri Studio Den Haag
Jan van Hoof Galerie Den Bosch
Galerie Verhaar Wassenaar
1995 Jan van Hoof Galerie Den Bosch
Galerie J.A. Eindhoven
Zuidhollandse Den Haag Grafiekmanifestatie
1996 Pulchri Studio Den Haag
Gallery Spirit Amsterdam
1997 Jan van Hoof Galerie Den Bosch
Grafiekwinkel Inkt Den Haag
Gallery Spirit Amsterdam
1998 Aaien in de Ruimte’, en Haag
Pulchri Studio
1999 Jan van Hoof Galerie Den Bosch
Gallery Spirit Amsterdam
‘Dierbaar Oppervlak’ , Emmen Bruggebouw
2000 ‘Jonge Honden Oude Helden’, Den Haag Pulchri Studio
ILJA WALRAVEN - PUBLICATIONS
Reviews in local, regional and national Dutch newspapers and incidentally an American paper.
With artwork of the artist, the author of children’s books Anke de Vries, wrote a story to accompany her selection of a number of paintings of Ilja. ‘Mijn olifant kan bijna alles’ (Lemniscaat, 1995) is translated into English (as: My elephant can do almost anything, German, French and Italian.
Together with graphic designer Dick Visser, Ilja Walraven made two posters for Amnesty International .
Poet Henk van Zuiden wrote poems to work of the artist on several occasions; together they published two books:
-DUO (Galerie Jan van Hoof, 1997; now out of print)
-‘Word nooit verliefd op walvis’ [Never fall in love
with a whale] (DuoBoek, 1999).
Stichting Plint, a foundation specialising in poetry posters for children and youth, has made two posters with work of the artist:
-Swordfish with a poem of Hans Kuyper (1999)
-Jerry Can with an English poem of Henk van Zuiden
catalogues and other group publications include:
-Onderzoek en Ontwikkeling ( Pulchri Studio 1996 )
-L. Felix-Faure : Land van Lucht en Water, Nederland gezien door de ogen van zijn schilders (Lemniscaat 1996)
-100 Jonge Nederlandse Schilders , Living Art Jaargids 1996 and 1997/98
-Heden Haags (gemeente Museum Den Haag 1998 )
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