a fictional biography rinus van de velde

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience and security.

A Fictional Autobiography

A new monograph on the work of Rinus Van de Velde: charcoal, pencil and pastel drawings

Rinus Van de Velde is one of the most talked-about contemporary artists. In his early period he was mainly known for his monumental charcoal drawings, but he soon developed into an all-round artist through his use of different media. Using installations, film, charcoal, ceramics and pencil drawings, Van de Velde explores his fictional biography. This book offers an overview of his more recent charcoal, pencil and oil pastel drawings.

Rinus Van de Velde – A Fictional Autobiograhy is published in conjunction with Frac des Pays de la Loire, Nantes.

With text contributions by Jan Postma, editor at De Groene Amsterdammer , and Laura Stamps, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Kunstmuseum Den Haag.

• Hardcover with linen
• Quadrichromy
• Trilingual edition EN-DU-FR
• ISBN 978 94 6436 634 1

Other editions

Related books

b. 1983, Belgium

• Exhibitions
• Video & Audio

Rinus van de Velde Biography

Rinus Van de Velde is best known for his large-scale, fictional self-portraits and life-size decors that serve as the background for his drawings, paintings, and videos that explore the relationship between reality and fiction.

The source materials for his 'fictional autobiography', as the artist told Kinfolk in 2018 , range from his photographs and imagination to films, comic books, newspaper articles, and other media. Van de Velde has a propensity for projecting his own narratives onto existing images, in which he is often engaged in heroic and dramatic situations. In his solo exhibition at Antwerp's Tim Van Laere Gallery in 2017, for example, he inserted his alter ego, Robert Rino, into the place of the Belgian cartoonist Hergé's protagonist Tintin.

Primarily employing charcoal on canvas and coloured pencil on paper, Rinus Van de Velde creates naturalistically rendered scenes with bold strokes and atmospheric lighting. In his charcoal drawings, the contrast between black and white also heightens a sense of drama. Many of Van de Velde's works are accompanied by a short text inscribed at the bottom, which evoke the style of newspaper cartoons.

Rinus Van de Velde's life-size decors, which he builds out of cardboard and wood in his studio, amplify narrative possibilities. They have become part of his exhibitions, notably in Donogoo Tonka at S.M.A.K. in Ghent, Belgium (2016), where the artist displayed cardboard plants, a boat, and a pick-up truck alongside the drawings and paintings inspired by them. In revealing the background of his two-dimensional works as being artificial, Van de Velde intentionally confuses fiction and reality.

Over the years, Rinus Van de Velde has also ventured into film to convey his ongoing interest in the tension between fiction and nonfiction. The Villagers (2017–2019), for example, revolves around the residents of a small village set against a mountainous landscape—played by the artist, his friends, and colleagues—without a clear narrative structure. The buildings and interiors in the film are clearly constructed out of cardboard, yet Van de Velde's use of sound effects convince the viewer into perceiving them as being part of the real world.

Further selected solo exhibitions include On Another Plane of Existence , Gallery Baton , Seoul (2020); The Colony , KWM artcenter, Beijing (2019); A Sunday as A Sunday , tegenboschvanvreden, Amsterdam (2016); and presentations at CAC Malaga, Spain (2013), and Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, the Netherlands (2012).

Rinus Van de Velde lives and works in Antwerp.

Sherry Paik | Ocula | 2020

Rinus van de Velde featured artworks

Rinus van de Velde current & recent exhibitions

Represented by this Ocula Member Gallery

Rinus van de Velde in Ocula Advisory

Rinus van de Velde in video & audio

Select your cookie preferences

We use cookies and similar tools that are necessary to enable you to make purchases, to enhance your shopping experiences and to provide our services, as detailed in our Cookie notice . We also use these cookies to understand how customers use our services (for example, by measuring site visits) so we can make improvements.

If you agree, we'll also use cookies to complement your shopping experience across the Amazon stores as described in our Cookie notice . Your choice applies to using first-party and third-party advertising cookies on this service. Cookies store or access standard device information such as a unique identifier. The 96 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. Click "Decline" to reject, or "Customise" to make more detailed advertising choices, or learn more. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences , as described in the Cookie notice. To learn more about how and for what purposes Amazon uses personal information (such as Amazon Store order history), please visit our Privacy notice .

• Arts & Photography
• History & Criticism

Sorry, there was a problem.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

A Fictional Autobiography Hardcover – Illustrated, 8 Mar. 2023

• A new monograph on the work of Rinus Van de Velde: charcoal, pencil and pastel drawings
• Text in English, French and Dutch
• Print length 240 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Hannibal Books
• Publication date 8 Mar. 2023
• Dimensions 28.98 x 2.9 x 32 cm
• ISBN-10 9464366346
• ISBN-13 978-9464366341
• See all details

Product description

Book description.

Indrukwekkend overzicht van het tekenwerk van Rinus Van de Velde: houtskool, potlood en oliepastel

Rinus Van de Velde is een van de meest spraak­makende hedendaagse kunstenaars. In zijn beginperiode stond hij vooral bekend om zijn monumentale houtskooltekeningen, maar Van de Velde ontwikkelde zich al snel tot een totaalkunste­naar door het gebruik van verschillende media. Met behulp van installaties, film, houtskool, keramiek en potloodtekeningen verkent Rinus Van de Velde zijn fictieve biografie. Dit boek biedt een overzicht van zijn recentere tekeningen in houtskool, potlood en oliepastel.

From the Back Cover

Rinus Van de Velde – A Fictional Autobiography verschijnt in samen­werking met Frac des Pays de la Loire, Nantes.

Met een tekstbijdrage van Jan Postma, redacteur bij De Groene Amsterdammer , en Laura Stamps, conservator moderne en hedendaagse kunst in het Kunstmuseum Den Haag.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hannibal Books; 1st edition (8 Mar. 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9464366346
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9464366341
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 28.98 x 2.9 x 32 cm
• 1,011 in Individual Artist Essays
• 12,600 in Museums & Art Collections
• 14,525 in Individual Artist Monographs

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 100%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from United Kingdom

Top reviews from other countries.

• UK Modern Slavery Statement
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell on Amazon Business
• Sell on Amazon Handmade
• Associates Programme
• Fulfilment by Amazon
• Seller Fulfilled Prime
• Advertise Your Products
• Independently Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Make Money with Us
• The Amazon Barclaycard
• Credit Card
• Amazon Money Store
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Payment Methods Help
• Shop with Points
• Top Up Your Account
• Top Up Your Account in Store
• COVID-19 and Amazon
• Track Packages or View Orders
• Delivery Rates & Policies
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Amazon Mobile App
• Customer Service
• Accessibility

• Conditions of Use & Sale
• Privacy Notice
• Cookies Notice
• Interest-Based Ads Notice

Rinus van de Velde - A Fictional Autobiography

A new monograph on the work of Rinus Van de Velde: charcoal, pencil and pastel drawings

Rinus Van de Velde is one of the most talked-about contemporary artists. In his early period he was mainly known for his monumental charcoal drawings, but he soon developed into an all-round artist through his use of different media. Using installations, film, charcoal, ceramics and pencil drawings, Van de Velde explores his fictional biography. This book offers an overview of his more recent charcoal, pencil and oil pastel drawings.

• Track Orders
• Shopping Bag

Quality and service is what sets us apart.

 Theodore Art Books pays a lot of attention to the packaging of books. I try to keep a balance between sturdiness, durability and aesthetics. First and foremost, an art book should be delivered to the customer in excellent condition. At the same time, the amount of packaging material is kept down to a minimum. You won’t find unnecessarily large boxes or abundant filling material with Theodore Art Books. If possible, I even reuse packaging material. Finally,  I aim to wrap neatly. After all, a beautiful book deserves attractive packaging

Theodore   Art Books attaches great importance to good service. Contact me with questions, requests or in the unexpected event of a problem, and I will answer as quickly as possible. So that nothing stands between you and the pleasure of a beautiful art book.

"No problem occurred, everything ran smoothly."

David - Bohunovice

Czech Republic (Mar.13, 2023) 

"Book arrived, and as always with this seller, pleased beyond expectations. Book was packaged with care, dignity, and grace. Immaculate condition. Theodore also included an extra exhibition catalog along with purchase."

Livermore, US (Dec 5, 2022)

"Perfect verpakt. Boek ontvangen in onberispelijke staat, en dat is bij andere leveranciers toch vaak een dingetje, helaas."

Leveroy, The Netherlands (Sep. 10, 2022)

2"This bookseller has curated a stellar collection of gorgeous, flawless art books. My questions have always been replied to clearly, generously, and in a timely manner. I highly recommend Theodore Art Books!" 

  Cella

Berlin, Germany (Mar. 9, 2022)

 "The most beautifully-wrapped book I have ever received directly from a 

seller- I assumed it must be a birthday present! Super-quick delivery, good price, and sturdy packaging- highly recommended." 

Swanage, UK (Feb. 19 2021)

"Vendor was very responsive, always concerned and proactive. I highly recommend Theodore Art Books."

Bogota, Columbia (Feb. 9, 2021)

"Parfait!"

Paris, France (Sept. 23, 2020)

"Contattato il venditore, dato un problema di ritiro causa lock down, ho

ottenuto risposta immediata, chiara e cortese. Mi è stato inviato tracciamento del prodotto e comunicato che mi verrà rispedito a breve. Sono molto soddisfatta. Venditore serio. "

Palermo, Italy (Jun. 2, 2020)

"Simply perfect all round - instant reply to my product enquiry - delivered to UK in only 3 days - factory sealed book arrived in perfect condition - very thoughtful packaging - 100% satisfied customer!!!"

Bournemouth, UK (Apr. 30, 2020)

"Cette transaction est tellement parfaite à tous points de vue que je pense résumer ma totale satisfaction en attribuant une symbolique 6° étoile au vendeur!!!"

Corps, France (Jul. 9, 2020)

" Mijn bestelling was op ruim op tijd binnen en erg stevig en veilig verpakt. Goede service dus! "

Brussel, Belgium (Dec. 17, 2018)

" Theodore Art Books have been most helpful and prompt throughout our

dealings. The book I I ordered is a rather rare copy and few sellers would have it. They did. It only took 2 days for it to get here in Bristol, UK. The packaging is safe and beautiful. It's been a very pleasant experience to see such professionalism and kindness. Thank you."

Bristol, UK (Mar. 9, 2018)

" Siempre es muy satisfactorio comprar en THEODORE ART BOOKS. Envío muy cuidado y rápido. Muchas gracias. "

Luis Felipe

Valencia, Spain (Dec. 19, 2017)

"Super schnell, sehr liebevoll eingepackt und auch so sicher, dass dem Buch kein Schaden passieren konnte. Toller Service!"

Witzhave, Germany (Jul. 1, 2017)

" I normally do NOT bother leaving feedback for sellers. However, in this case I feel that I must. It is very rare these days to receive a package which has been carefully and elegantly prepared. This seller is certainly something truly special... and his/her wrapping talents should be definitely recognized and commended. A job very well done. You've greatly exceeded my expectations."

Downey, US (Sep. 8, 2016)

" Libro stupendo grazie tutto perfetto!!!!!!!! "

Rome, Italy (Apr. 8, 2016)

" A book really fantastic! and a customer service: impeccable! "

Barcelona, Spain (Jan. 25, 2016)

"Het artikel was heel erg goed verpakt en ook nog mooi ingepakt in cadeaupapier, had ik niet verwacht. Dus met heel veel zorg gedaan. Daarnaast ook helemaal op tijd geleverd en een mooi exemplaar!!!!"

Arnhem, The Netherlands (Nov. 19, 2015)

"Book arrived sooner than expected and in pristine, new condition. Very well packaged with loving care. Thank you so much for this precious jewel."

Tuscon, US (Mar. 8, 2021)

"Het boek is perfect en snel toegekomen en is helemaal zoals verwacht! Een aanrader!"

Kortenberg, Belgium (Nov. 2, 2020)

"Book in wonderful condition! Excellent packaging to protect the book, which was greatly appreciated!"

Ackerman, US (Jul 23, 2020)

" Service et expédition parfaits, vendeur (contacté par tél) absolument

charmant. Colis arrivé en avance. Je recommande vivement."

Paris, France (Jun. 20, 2019)

" Il libro lo conoscevo ed è bellissimo, sia l'edizione che le fotografie. La

spedizione è stata impeccabile, veloce, imballato e confezionato alla perfezione, con carta da regalo, tutto per un prezzo più che onesto. Sto già pensando di prenderne un altro per regalarlo. Bravi!" "

Venice, Italy (Mar. 8, 2019)

" Exemplary service. Valuable book at a collector price and was packaged and mailed as such by the seller. Much appreciated! "

Prof. Johnson

College Station, US (Nov. 6, 2018)

" Der Verkäufer ist echt super in jeder Hinsicht. Habe ihn wegen einer Kleinigkeit kontaktiert, bekam sofort eine Antwort, das Buch war wirklich makellos, perfekt verpackt und wurde umgehend geliefert. Wuerde sofort wieder bei dem Verkäufer bestellen. Vielen Dank an Tebbe. "

Bayerisch Gmain (Dec. 26, 2017)

" Het artikel was goed verpakt en was daarnaast nog heel netjes in een feestelijk papier gewikkeld zodat het aanvoelde als een kado. "

Elst, The Netherlands (Aug. 9, 2017)

"Thank you for a truly wonderful book. My partner's father would have said. C'est un grand tremor! It is indeed and we have been impressed by your quick and efficient service."

Llandsysul, UK (Mar. 30, 2017)

"Great store. Great service. Fast shipping. Fast response to mail. No doubt I'll buy again and again at this store."

Sergei Dagan

Rehovot, Israel (Jul. 4, 2016)

" Beautiful book, as described and arrived on time with great communication. Thanks so much! "

Los Angeles, US (Feb 2, 2016)

"Het boek was prachtig ingepakt en heel goed verzorgd in een doos met bescherming verzonden. Chapeau!"

Hulst, The Netherlands (Dec. 23, 2015)

Theodore Art Books

Waterpoortweg 443

1051 PZ Amsterdam

The Netherlands

e: [email protected] | CC: 58430407

| VAT: NL001952575B97 

Shipping & Return Policy

General Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy

• Products search
• € 0,00 0 items

Rinus Van de Velde: A Fictional Autobiography (Drawings)

Rinus van de velde, jan postma, laura stamps.

Frac Nantes & Hannibal, 2022

€ 59,00

Out of stock

Impressive overview of the drawings of Belgian artist Rinus Van de Velde (°1983). In his early days he was best known for his monumental charcoal drawings, but Van de Velde quickly developed into a total artist through the use of various media. Rinus Van de Velde explores his fictional biography with the aid of installations, film, charcoal, ceramics and pencil drawings. This book offers an overview of his more recent drawings in charcoal, pencil and oil pastel. Rinus Van de Velde – A Fictional Autobiography appears in collaboration with Frac des Pays de la Loire, Nantes. With a text contribution by Jan Postma, editor at De Groene Amsterdammer, and Laura Stamps, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Kunstmuseum Den Haag.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

ISBN: 9789464366341

240 pages, illustrated, 32 x 29 cm, hardcover, Dutch/French/English

• Higher Education Textbooks

Sorry, there was a problem.

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera, scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Rinus Van de Velde: A Fictional Autobiography Hardcover – Import, 23 February 2023

Save extra with 3 offers, 10 days replacement.

Replacement Instructions

Purchase options and add-ons

Rinus Van de Velde is one of the most talked-about contemporary artists. In his early period he was mainly known for his monumental charcoal drawings, but he soon developed into an all-round artist through his use of different media. Using installations, film, charcoal, ceramics and pencil drawings, Van de Velde explores his fictional biography. This book offers an overview of his more recent charcoal, pencil and oil pastel drawings.

A Fictional Autobiograhy is published in conjunction with Frac des Pays de la Loire, Nantes.

With text contributions by Jan Postma, editor at De Groene Amsterdammer, and Laura Stamps, curator of modern and contemporary art at Kunstmuseum Den Haag.

Text in English, French and Dutch.

• Print length 240 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Cannibal/Hannibal Publishers
• Publication date 23 February 2023
• Dimensions 28.98 x 2.9 x 32 cm
• ISBN-10 9464366346
• ISBN-13 978-9464366341
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cannibal/Hannibal Publishers (23 February 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9464366346
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9464366341
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 27.2 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 28.98 x 2.9 x 32 cm

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 100%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from India

Top reviews from other countries.

• Press Releases
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell under Amazon Accelerator
• Protect and Build Your Brand
• Amazon Global Selling
• Supply to Amazon
• Become an Affiliate
• Fulfilment by Amazon
• Advertise Your Products
• Amazon Pay on Merchants
• Your Account
• Returns Centre
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• 100% Purchase Protection
• Amazon App Download

• Conditions of Use & Sale
• Privacy Notice
• Interest-Based Ads

Rinus Van de Velde

Rinus Van de Velde is sometimes described as the James Dean of the Belgian art world, known as a workaholic and invariably spotted with a cigarette hanging from his lips. Photographic material forms the basis for his monumental charcoal drawings. He often stages the photographs himself in his studio. As a result, his canvases regularly feature himself and his acquaintances. Van de Velde uses his work to create a fictional autobiography: a story in which he plays the role of both the director and main character. Therefore, we also see the artist regularly crop up like a chameleon in his own stories.

Works Rinus Van de Velde

Publications

• Copyright © 2024 S.M.A.K.
• All rights reserved
• S.M.A.K. Moves
• Le Musée et son Double
• We keep you posted!

• Sign in
• My Account
• Basket  

Seller Image

View Larger Image

Fictional Autobiography Rinus Van de Velde drawings.

Jan postma, laura stamps,.

From BOOKSELLER - ERIK TONEN BOOKS , Antwerpen, Belgium

(5-star seller) Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars

View this seller's items

Quantity: 1 available

30 Day Return Policy

About this Item

Hardcover, 32 x 29 cm, 240 pages, illustrated Quadrichromie, Trilingual edition ENG/NL /FR. **FINE!! ISBN 9789464366341. Indrukwekkend overzicht van het tekenwerk van Rinus Van de Velde: houtskool, potlood en oliepastel Rinus Van de Velde is een van de meest spraak makende hedendaagse kunstenaars. In zijn beginperiode stond hij vooral bekend om zijn monumentale houtskooltekeningen, maar Van de Velde ontwikkelde zich al snel tot een totaalkunste naar door het gebruik van verschillende media. Met behulp van installaties, film, houtskool, keramiek en potloodtekeningen verkent Rinus Van de Velde zijn fictieve biografie. Dit boek biedt een overzicht van zijn recentere tekeningen in houtskool, potlood en oliepastel. -----monograph on the work of Rinus Van de Velde: charcoal, pencil and pastel drawings Rinus Van de Velde is one of the most talked-about contemporary artists. In his early period he was mainly known for his monumental charcoal drawings, but he soon developed into an all-round artist through his use of different media. Using installations, film, charcoal, ceramics and pencil drawings, Van de Velde explores his fictional biography. This book offers an overview of his more recent charcoal, pencil and oil pastel drawings. Rinus Van de Velde ? A Fictional Autobiograhy is published in conjunction with Frac des Pays de la Loire, Nantes. With text contributions by Jan Postma, editor at De Groene Amsterdammer, and Laura Stamps, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Kunstmuseum Den Haag.---- Met een tekstbijdrage van Jan Postma, redacteur bij De Groene Amsterdammer, en Laura Stamps, conservator moderne en hedendaagse kunst in het Kunstmuseum Den Haag. 0 g. Seller Inventory # 60246

Contact seller

Report this item

Bibliographic Details

Title: Fictional Autobiography Rinus Van de Velde ...

Publisher: Hannibal / Kannibaal 2022

Binding: Hardcover

Store Description

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Terms and conditions of sale

Books are offered if unsold. The order of incoming orders will be respected strictly.

The books that are offered online are not available at our bookshop at 48 Kloosterstraat.

You will receive an e-mail confirming the availability of the book(s) and providing details with regard to shipment costs (we use Belgian and Dutch postal companies for the most cost-effective shipments.

The indicated shipment costs have been calculated according to the rates for shipments of u...

Orders usually ship within 3 business days. Shipping costs are based on books weighing 4.2 LB, or 2 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required. ;

Payment Methods accepted by seller

NEW from ACC Art Books – Limited Edition: Sukita: Eternity – Click here to order

Rinus van de Velde: Films

By (author) rinus van de velde.

$130.00

• Share this book on Twitter
• Share this book on Facebook
• Share this book via Email
• Meet Rinus Van de Velde: Get to know one of today's most talked-about artists
• Explore his Films: See how Van de Velde turned his sketches into amazing handmade sets for three unique films
• Behind the Scenes: Discover the creative process behind life-size cardboard sets, surreal road trips, and introspective journeys
• Bonus Vinyl: Enjoy Joachim Badenhorst's film soundtracks on a special vinyl disc included with the book

Rinus Van de Velde (b. 1983) is one of the most talked-about contemporary artists. Since 2019, this artistic all-rounder has added the medium of film to his wide-ranging oeuvre of drawings, installations and ceramics. This book provides insight into how Van de Velde transformed sketches into beautiful handmade sets that came to life in three impressive films.

In The Villagers the viewer enters Van de Velde’s world. An important role is played by 17 life-size cardboard sets on which he worked for two years. Narrative evolved into a more abstract form of expression in his second film, La Ruta Natural . For this film, which follows a surreal road trip, Van de Velde had a mask made resembling his face. His most recent film, A Life in a Day , is introspective and shows the inner workings of the artist. The result is an intimate and pure voyage of discovery in which Van de Velde analyzes himself from a distance and visually shapes his artistry.

This book will be published, together with a vinyl disc of Joachim Badenhorst’s film soundtracks, to coincide with the festive opening weekend of the new Abby Museum in Kortrijk on 9 November 2024.

Text in English, French and Dutch.

Rinus Van de Velde is one of the most talked-about contemporary artists in Belgium. In his early period he was mainly known for his monumental charcoal drawings, but he soon developed into an all-round artist through his use of different media. Using installations, film, charcoal, ceramics and pencil drawings, Van de Velde explores his fictional biography.

Our Catalogs

Browse our books.

Please log-in or create an account to see your recent items.

RINUS VAN DE VELDE

Selected Works

When I was at the peak... , 2024

oil pastel on paper 110 x 73 cm.; 43 1/4 x 28 3/4 in.  126.5 x 89.5 x 4 cm.; 49 3/4 x 35 1/4 x 1 5/8 in. (framed) Photo: def image

Whatever, all good, I guess, ... , 2024

oil pastel on paper 110 x 73 cm.; 43 1/4 x 28 3/4 in. 126 x 89.5 x 4 cm.; 49 5/8 x 35 1/4 x 1 5/8 in. (framed) Photo: Trevor Good

I go to bed just as tired after a dream... , 2023

oil pastel on paper 159 x 112 cm.; 62 5/8 x 44 1/8 in. 179 x 132.5 x 5 cm.; 70 1/2 x 52 1/8 x 2 in. (framed) Photo: def image

Suddenly I couldn't move forward or backward. ... , 2023

oil pastel on paper 110 x 73 cm.; 39 3/8 x 28 3/4 in. 126.5 x 89.5 x 4 cm.; 49 2/3 x 35 1/4 x 1 5/8 in. (framed) Photo: def image

Now I've been sitting here for days... , 2023

oil pastel on paper 181 x 112 cm.; 71 1/4 x 44 1/8 in. 201 x 132 x 5 cm.; 79 1/8 x 52 x 2 in. (framed) Photo: def image

Gustav, Gustav, Gustav, ... , 2023

oil pastel on paper 210 x 163 cm.; 82 5/8 x 64 1/8 in. 233 x 185.5 x 6.8 cm.; 91 3/4 x 73 x 2 5/8 in. (framed) Photo: Thomas Lannes

Utterly exhausted and broken I awoke from these dreams. , 2023

oil pastel on paper 181 x 112 cm.; 71 1/4 x 44 1/8 in. 201 x 132 x 5 cm.; 79 1/8 x 52 x 2 in. (framed)

On Monday Pierre takes care of Dinner... , 2022

oil pastel on paper 159.5 x 294 cm.; 62 3/4 x 115 3/4 in. 176.3 x 310.8 x 6.8 cm.; 69 3/8 x 122 3/8 x 2 5/8 in. (framed)

Dear Dwight, all kind of little imaginings... , 2022

oil pastel on paper 217.7 x 162.1 cm.; 85 3/4 x 63 7/8 in. 240.4 x 185.1 x 6.8 cm.; 94 5/8 x 72 7/8 x 2 5/8 in. (framed)

We realized we felt stronger inside... , 2022

oil pastel on paper 213.3 x 162.1 cm.; 84 x 63 7/8 in. 236.1 x 185.1 x 6.8 cm.; 93 x 72 7/8 x 2 5/8 in. (framed)

Hey Bill! Bill,... Hey Bill... , 2022

oil pastel on paper 174.5 x 112 cm.; 68 3/4 x 44 1/8 in. 194.5 x 132 x 5 cm.; 76 5/9 x 52 x 2 in. (framed) Photo: def image

I wish we will be a reason... , 2022

oil pastel on paper 110 x 73 cm.; 43 1/4 x 28 3/4 in. 126.5 x 89.5 x 4 cm.; 49 3/4 x 35 1/4 x 1 5/8 in. (framed)

Dear, a studio visit is a bit difficult at the moment ... , 2022

oil pastel on paper 160.2 x 228 cm.; 63 1/8 x 89 3/4 in.

‘The search for a drawing in colour has been there from the beginning. Ten years, it took me. I started to master oil pastels and began to draw with them obsessively. This is a very organic process with no major steps. Only the die-hard fans know what I've been up to lately. I don't blame the public for identifying me with charcoal drawings. But that's why this exhibition at Bozar is so important, because I can show on such a large scale in Belgium what has happened in the past 15 years.’  R. Van de Velde in conversation with L. Poté, 'Explore your inner journeys. In conversation with Rinus Van de Velde' , bozar.be , 28 March 2022

The principle impulse... , 2021

charcoal on canvas, in artist’s frame 300 x 525 cm.; 118 1/8 x 206 3⁄4 in.

‘A key work in further locating the interlacedness of the film still within the graphic work of Van de Velde is The principal impulse (2021), which shows the artist seated in an underwater reef landscape filled, to an obsessive degree, with corals and sponges. The very same undersea world appears in La Ruta Natural. Here the main character is not the artist himself but an actor, masked as Van de Velde, who half swims, half walks across the sea bed. The reference image of The principal impulse is not a photogram. Rather, it is a photographic image staged and captured in the film’s set.'  J. Verheye, ‘Lights, Camera, Action!’, in Rinus Van de Velde. Inner Travels , exh. cat., Bozar-Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels; Hannibal Books, 2022, p. 123

La Ruta Natural , 2019–2021

single channel video

‘ La Ruta Natural is a palindrome; when read backwards, the lebers form the same exact title, in addition to reflecting the abandonment of the strict linearity of filmic action. The artist experiences his avatars travels and absurd undertakings within the confines of his studio, capturing them on file. The failing protagonist carries out an undefined plan, which starts at a vegetable stall where he spots a carved carrot, which is just the tool he needs to burrow through a long, narrow shad to reach a concealed, underground machine room. There he uses complicated machinery to inflate a red balloon, which he then releases so it can fly up through an opening in the rocks – again reminiscent of the work of Fischli and Weiss, more specifically their film Der Lauf der Dinge (1987). He then drives his convertible up a steep mountain road. Once he has reached the summit, he sets fire to the car only to plunge into a colourful underwater world, from which he escapes through a television set. This is followed by several other scenes in a variety of cardboard worlds, culmination in an unexpected ending – like so many heterogeneous dream sequences.’  U. Ströbele, ‘Inner Travels and Walking as an Artistic Strategy’, in Rinus Van de Velde. Inner Travels , exh. cat., Bozar-Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels; Hannibal Books, 2022, p. 76

I am starting to see myself as a whole group of artists , 2021

charcoal on canvas 65.5 x 90 x 4 cm.; 25 3/4 x 35 3/8 x 1 5/8 in. Collection: FRAC des Pays de la Loire, Nantes

‘The horizontal format inevitably gives the drawings a cinematic look, demanding that they be read from led to right, top to bottom. The scale recalls Barnett Newman’s sublime paintings, the structure the large formats of the nineteenth-century masters. As a spectator, you are taken into the drawings, but as well as spectator you are a participant in a staged reality. […] The dramaturgy of each drawing takes place in a closed environment in which only certain abributes refer to an outside world. The environments/seongs are inhabited by tragic heroes, set down like chess pieces like the figures with which Edward Hopper sparingly populated his paintings. The characters carry the story, but the interiors and objects suffuse it. The drawings are ‘frames’ from a larger storyboard, stalled movements, timeless and mythical, devoid of colour but coloured by the noise of a fiction.’  P. van Cauteren, ‘Leber: To Rinus Van de Velde,‘ in Rinus Van de Velde. Donogoo Tonka , exh. cat., S.M.A.K., Ghent; Veurne: Hannibal Books, 2016, n.p.

Leon, can I borrow her for a while,... , 2021

oil pastel on paper 73.3 x 96.6 cm.; 28 7/8 x 38 in.

Prop, Train , 2021

cardboard, paint, wood and mixed media 1050 x 250 x 300 cm.; 413 3/8 x 98 3/8 x 118 1/8 in. Installation view: BOZAR, Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels, 2022

‘With his drawings, installations, ceramics and film, Rinus Van de Velde pulls at the threads of our cultural and intellectual history. The artist presents cyclical stories in which he connects word and image with references to literature, philosophy and art history. In these stories, he interweaves reality with fiction, which gives him the freedom to appropriate everything that finds its way into his world. His drawings are the foundation of his artisic practice, which he always returns to through his other works.’  K. Loret, Rinus Van de Velde , exh. cat., Antwerp: Tim Van Laere Gallery, 2021, n.p.

Like all memories... , 2021

oil pastel on paper 111.8 x 149.2 cm.; 44 x 58 3/4 in.

He has been drifting around , 2021

oil pastel on paper 110.2 x 66.7 cm.; 43 3/8 x 26 1/4 in.

‘He presents his works for what they are: fragments of himself. […] What connects these works is the persona of the artist himself. What we see is his ambition as an artist, questioning himself alongside other artists such as Pieter Bruegel, Rembrandt, Joan Mitchell, Willem De Kooning, Edvard Munch and David Hockney. Each of these artists personifies a quality that Van de Velde would like to possess as an artist. In order to really penetrate their works, he appropriates them and translates them into his own technique. In the texts of these works, we oden find open lebers from Van de Velde to the artist, letters in which he questions their work but where he also critcizes himself.’  K. Loret, Rinus Van de Velde , exh. cat., Antwerp: Tim Van Laere Gallery, 2021, n.p.

After a while, ... , 2020

coloured pencil on paper, in artist's frame 34.9 x 45.2 cm.; 13 3/4 x 17 3/4 in.

‘[…] Presenting only his coloured pencil drawings, Rinus Van de Velde is marking an important turnabout in his oeuvre. At first glance, the new format indicates a break from his previous work: from his familiar back-and-white drawings, as big as paintings or even a cinema screen, to coloured pencil, drawings, horizontal and square, the size of photographs and postcards – nothing larger than an A3. From black and white to colour, from very large to very small: in an exhibition space this makes a world of difference, but in its very essence, nothing has changed where it concerns the substantive and artistic ambitions of his work. We are still entering the universe of a fictitious biography. And artistically, Rinus continues working on his objective of emancipating drawing into a fully-fledged art form. Together with other artists he stands for a literary-pictorial revolution in contemporary art; softly on slippered feet they are putting a new avant-garde twist on the conceptual consumes within the Global Contemporary.’  J. Laureyns, ‘The New Avant-Garde Looks Different from the Old One’, in Rinus Van de Velde. Colored Pencil Drawings , exh. cat., Tim Van Laere Gallery, Antwerp; Veurne: Hannibal Books, 2021, p. 113

On monday mornings I explain all my new ideas to my assistants , 2020

glazed ceramic 16 x 100 x 51 cm.; 6 1/4 x 39 3/8 x 20 1/8 in.

‘The travel stories and artists’ biographies that Van de Velde reconstructs in his atelier seem to come to life in his ceramics. Their ontological status of ‘spiritual’ fiction is transformed into ‘physical factuality. The sculptural shape’s basic pabern is achieved by actively compacting an action (in this case, the simulation or suggestion of being on the move) in matter (Van de Velde uses moist, malleable clay). […] On monday mornings I explain all my new ideas to my assistants (2020), made from glazed ceramic, refers to Van de Velde’s studio practice as a painter and is a spook on the mass production and division of labour in an artistic ‘factory’. Seventeen assistants are seated around a large brown table, listening to the words – and new ideas – of the ‘master’ who is standing at the head of the table. Perhaps this scene refers to the preparations for his films?’  U. Ströbele, ‘Inner Travels and Walking as an Artistic Strategy’, in Rinus Van de Velde. Inner Travels , exh. cat., Bozar-Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels; Hannibal Books, 2022, pp. 73 and 76

Manet and Courbet sharing a model , 2020

painted ceramic 17 x 50 x 44 cm.; 6 3/4 x 19 3/4 x 17 3/8 in.

Joan... , 2020

oil pastel on paper 70.9 x 88.3 cm.; 27 7/8 x 34 3/4 in.

I am the armchair voyager , 2020

charcoal on canvas in artist's frame 246 x 161 cm.; 96 7/8 x 63 3/8 in.

‘Van de Velde’s work responds to film rather than to painting, drawing or photography. Whereas pictorialism transposes textures or natural light into brush strokes, and photorealism implies a translation of focus and printing techniques, Van de Velde’s drawings are more cinematographic in nature. For starters, they have the same luminosity as projected images. The artist preferred certain light effects, especially in his black and white drawings: bold chiaroscuro, surfaces with thousands of folds and ripples, volumes and contours that are emphasized by artificial light… Or cigarebe smoke, the ultimate Hollywood fetish, a representant in the image of the invisible machinery, a mysterious je ne said quoi, drawing attention to the light source that rendered the image visible.’  K. Sels, ‘The Eye of the Mainstream’, in Rinus Van de Velde. Inner Travels , exh. cat., Bozar-Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels; Hannibal Books, 2022, pp. 145– 146

It must have been somewhere here ... , 2020

coloured pencil on paper, in arist’s frame 35.5 x 46.1 cm.; 14 x 18 1/8 in.

‘Tellingly, if McCarthy and Guston use drawing to divulge a whole host of visual dichotomies, libering the picture plane with a multitude of gestural expressions and comic icons, Van de Velde’s use of charcoal and coloured crayon is far more considered, closer in appearance to a photograph. Which, for their accuracy of the real, conjures the conundrum of ‘truth’ in them, and the strength of the image stands for the truth; we understand photography in the same way. And by reinventing an image of an event that already exists in time and space as an extension of himself, leaves the audience grasping for the truth in them; and that his images as artworks must surely have a level of reality, for their being so real.’  R. Van de Velde in conversaLon with R. Punj, ‘Living a Lie: An interview with Rinus Van de Velde’, in Art & Deal , March 2020, pp. 25–26

Still struggling with my backhand , 2020

glazed ceramic 29 x 52 cm.; 11 3/8 x 20 1/2 in.

‘Van de Velde’s focus on male stereotypes is no accident; they’re all figures we’re familiar with from cinema, advertising, cowboy stories, songs and perhaps even from life. Maybe that unapproachable guy who hides his abachment disorder behind an air of independence and freedom has once sat at our table or spent the night at our house. We’ve all encountered that light-lipped big-mouth who has fought his way through the most remote wilderness on his lonesome, equipped with nothing but a pocketknife and a box of matches. At least from a distance, we’ve all seen that introverted hero who, alone at his studio, toils away at his life’s work. The maverick, lone wolf, alpha male, disagreeable fellow we hardly identify with in Van de Velde’s art, but whose forlornness piques our curiosity.’  F. Fetzer, ‘Making Of: On Intimacy in the Work of Rinus Van de Velde’, in Rinus Van de Velde.I’d Rather Stay at Home , exh. cat., Kunstmuseum Luzern, Lucerne; Veurne: Hannibal Books, 2021, pp. 8–9

I will need to chop , 2019

coloured pencil on paper 10 x 17 cm.; 4 x 6 3/4 in. Collection: SOLO, Madrid

‘This is something I started doing two years ago. Again because I made these small drawings when I graduated from high school. At the time I didn’t have a studio and was very limited with space, so I deliberately started making these small drawings, which I would stick to one wall, to have an over view of everything I have done of the past months. But then, of course, I was thinking about the medium of drawing being very marginal, and I thought to get rid of that and treat it as an autonomous medium. So one strategy could be of scaling or ‘blowing up’ the drawing. But then practically with coloured pencils, I couldn’t very easily fill these giant sheets of paper with colour, so I started using charcoal, because it goes quicker onto the surface, and was easier to apply to a large-scale work. Which lead to my making many charcoal drawings works in this way, for more than ten years, unLl at a certain point I was with Tim (Van Laere), and we were looking at some older works, and by chance, a colour drawing appeared, and I wondered why I had stopped making them.’  R. Van de Velde in conversation with R. Punj, ‘Living a Lie: An interview with Rinus Van de Velde’, in Art & Deal , March 2020, pp. 31–32

Luckily I didn't feel much , 2019

coloured pencil on paper 18 x 11 cm.; 7 1/8 x 4 3/8 in. Collection: SOLO, Madrid

‘Ego constructions can also be found in Van de Velde’s new small-format coloured pencil drawings. In one example, The artist seems to enjoy slipping into the role of Caspar David Friedrich as the Wanderer above the Sea of Fog. Instead of looking into the mirror, he gazes out at the vast sea. Van de Velde ironically breaks the staging of this Romantic pathos, however, by having the gazing wanderer remark laconically: “Luckily I didn’t feel much.”’  S. Weppelmann, ‘Rothko, Robert, Rinus – All These Great Painters Come By a Second Time’, in Rinus Van de Velde. Colored Pencil Drawings, exh. cat., Tim Van Laere Gallery, Antwerp; Veurne: Hannibal Books, 2021, p. 5

These villagers... , 2019

charcoal on canvas, in arist frame 210 x 353 cm.; 82 5/8 x 139 in.

‘Rinus Van de Velde’s drawings are generally large. They have the format of a movie screen but without its shiny, luminous surface or saturated colours that suck in the eye and draw the viewer into the image. Instead, he uses charcoal grease pencil: an additioonal layer of material on mab textile. Charcoal offers a rapid technique that sketches out a context, draws contours and places shadows. With its temporary character and abstracting monochrome palebe, it does not set out to absorb but points to a following image. A Rinus Van de Velde drawing is not, however, pure medium. Undergirding it is an amalgam of photography, cinema, performance, painting and sculpture, the specific criteria and characteristics of each of which influence the result.’  A. Hoste, ‘Rinus Van de Velde: A Fiction Above Fiction’, in Rinus Van de Velde. Donogoo Tonka , exh. cat., S.M.A.K., Ghent; Veurne: Hannibal Books, 2016, n.p.

Alexander... , 2019

oil pastel on paper 110.1 x 72.2 cm.; 43 3/8 x 28 3/8 in.

‘For more than ten years Van de Velde searched for a colour technique in drawing with the same expressive power and possibilities as charcoal. He has found these qualities in oil pastel, a material that enables him to draw in the same powerful and fluent way as charcoal, while at the same time offering him a wider range of possibilities.’  K. Loret, Rinus Van de Velde , exh. cat., Antwerp: Tim Van Laere Gallery, 2021, n.p.

The Villagers , 2017–2019

single channel video installation, colour, sound 40 minutes

‘This is the material backdrop of The Villagers : satisfyingly crady sets brought into a live action world. Through beautifully observed cinematic lighting, Van de Velde’s drawings take on the allure of film stills. Here, this lighting builds plausible atmospheres in implausible seongs: a computer nerd’s basement office, in which the on-screen information and printed sheets carry nothing more than painted lines, blocks and blobs; a man suffering a breakdown on a deserted road, the rear potiLon of a model car as his prop; a flood sequence in which the rescue boat is clearly propelled by the captain’s feet protruding from the base, like the family car in The Flintstones (1960–1966). [...] As a beautifully observed cinematic homage, one could too easily pigeonhole this as winsome fantasy – David Lynch by way of Wes Anderson with a pinch of Scandi noir – but Van de Velde looks through fiction to the reality beyond. The Villagers explores the ridiculous sensation of imagining oneself so isolated in the world that one’s actions have no impact. How do we know what is important if we don’t have light and sound cues to direct us? In melding real life with the light and paint of illusion, it asks where art sits when everything seems unreal.’ H. Judah, ‘Rinus Van de Velde Asks Where Art Sits When Everything Seems Unreal’ in frieze , 8 November 2019

Prop, Diner , 2017–2019

cardboard, paint, wood and mixed media 410 x 690 x 290 cm.; 161 3/8 x 271 5/8 x 114 1/8 in.

‘Van de Velde’s 2D fictions oden start in the 3D world: his drawings are based on complex cardboard sets that he constructs in his Antwerp studio and which now are presented in the gallery. The full sized ‘props’ are lovingly detailed – meticulous in their evocative use of space and light – but materially upfront. The naked eye sees the corrugated edges of a cardboard diner ( Prop, Diner , all works 2017–19) and the papery surface of a hotel hallway ( Prop, Hotel ) that drawings of them would conceal.’ H. Judah, ‘Rinus Van de Velde Asks Where Art Sits When Everything Seems Unreal’ in frieze , 8 November 2019

He constantly watches sport on television... , 2018

coloured pencil on paper, in artist's frame 13.9 x 26.8 cm.; 5 1/2 x 10 1/2 in.

‘Rinus […] has helped to bring about the return of old Aristotelian aesthetics in which a work of art imitates reality. Whereas previously the viewer already was able to identify with that reality and experience a catharsis as such, with the addition of color the possibility of identification has been amplified. This is not a vain Rinus, looking for fame and admiration, but a Rinus who transforms himself into a character so as to be able to comment indirectly on the dramas of our time. What dramas are these exactly? To name only a few: identity issues, the exhausted person, the trapped individual, the bad conscience of the Westerner, the old-fashioned love drama, or also: the impasse that conceptual art has reached… The sense of tragedy is, as far as I’m concerned, heightened as never before by the use of color and the intimate dimensions of these drawings.’  J. Laureyns, ‘The New Avant-Garde Looks Different from the Old One, in Rinus Van de Velde. Colored Pencil Drawings, exh. cat., Tim Van Laere Gallery, Antwerp; Veurne: Hannibal Books, 2021, p. 115

Deep in the jungle of our fiction, ... , 2016

charcoal on paper 300 x 600 cm.; 118 1/8 x 236 1/4 in. Collection: S.M.A.K., Ghent

‘Rinus Van de Velde’s Deep in the jungle of our fiction…. (2016) is a monumental charcoal drawing inspired by Jules Romain’s mock film scenario Donogoo-Tonka or the Miracles of Science. Romain’s cinematographic tale recounts the story of an imaginary staged photography and other manipulative means in order to save the reputaLon of a discredited scientist. Like Romain, Van de Velde, tells filmic stories that unveil an amalgam of imagined events. Deep in the jungle of our fiction… is set in Van de Velde’s studio against the backdrop of an artificially created landscape full of tropical trees and plants that lack botanical accuracy. At its centre, amid the faux foliage, are two figures: a cameraman and a set designer. Their presence symbolises the staginess and constructed nature of Van de Velde’s world, but also epitomises the cross-pollination of cinematic and theatrical influences in his graphic work.’  J. Verheye, ‘Lights, Camera, Action!’, in Rinus Van de Velde. Inner Travels , exh. cat., Bozar-Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels; Hannibal Books, 2022, p. 123

On board of Conrad, things take a weird turn , 2016

charcoal on paper 300 x 600 cm.; 118 1/8 x 236 1/4 in.

‘Not only in his films, but also in his charcoal drawings, Van de Velde accompanies the wild guys of this world on their expeditions: to the library to carry out research, to a gala dinner with sponsors, in a dugout along the Amazon. The drawings have terse subtitles; like voiceovers, they comment on what is taking place but without geong emotional. The artist doesn’t parade himself in a self-deprecating way or makes jokes at his own expense, but presents himself as a sorry character who goes to a lot of fuss and trouble and has nothing to show for it. These characters, whether Van de Velde himself, a friend wearing the artist’s face as a mask, or Alexander Humboldt – who, according to the drawing’s subtitles, personally joins the artist on his explorations – have all had their day. They embody a form of masculinity for which there is evidently no longer any use.’  F. Fetzer, ‘Making Of: On Intimacy in the Work of Rinus Van de Velde’, in Rinus Van de Velde. I’d Rather Stay at Home , exh. cat., Kunstmuseum Luzern; Veurne: Hannibal Books, 2021, p. 9

Frank, I need separate buildings... , 2016

charcoal on paper 126 x 120 cm.; 49 5/8 x 47 1/4 in. Collection: Kunstmuseum Den Haag, The Hague

‘In his very individual drawing style, Van de Velde tells the story of Isaac Weiss, a fictive alter ego who runs an artists’ colony. The home of some of the big names of the 20th century, including Mark Rothko, Jean Brusselmans and Pablo Picasso, this colony is where Van de Velde lives out the ‘wet dream’ of every artist. The storyline enables him not only to put these top artists in contact with one another. It also puts him, as leader of the colony, one rung higher than those who determined the history of modern art.’  B. Tempel, ‘Foreword’, in R inus Van de Velde. Works on Paper , ext. cat., Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, The Hague; London, König Books, 2016, p. 5

I've been in a similar position before: attacked by a personified outside...* , 2015

charcoal drawing 200 x 390 cm.; 78 3/4 x 153 1/2 in. Collection: Belfius Art Collection, Brussels

‘My own character has become the motor of my work, generating questions about where the story should go and what kind of artist I should be. But I don’t think there is one single self that character grows into. As strange as it might seem if you consider the formal limitations I have given myself, my work has always been a method to not become a singular artist. My own taste in art is quite eclectic, and I can’t see any definite fundaments for a clear-cut artistic program of my own. One of the main reasons why I chose to work on a fictional autobiography, is that there are no limitations to what my character can become: he can be a 19th-century sculptor in one series and a hallucinatory outsider in another. In this parallel universe, I can test all sorts of positions without choosing one for the rest of my days. On the other hand, the limitations of my actual life do find their way into my fictional world. It is this tension between and blurring of two dimensions, I am most interested in, I guess.’  R. Van de Velde in conversation with M. Taylor, ‘Interview with Rinus Van de Velde’, in Frame , 25 September 2014

It’s as if someone is observing us with a sense of overview we seem to lack, some-one who knows better than us what exactly it is we’re doing here , 2013

charcoal on paper, in two parts 220 x 410 cm.; 86 5/8 x 161 3/8 in. Collection: M HKA, Antwerp

‘I think solitude and imagination do go hand in hand, but I have to say my working process changed a lot over the past few years. Whereas I used to spend my days alone in the studio, I am now collaborating with a few people. Two friends helped me build the sets, another friend – the one that plays Conrad in the drawings – writes the texts together with me, and a third one does the photographs. I noticed imagination also benefits from these kinds of collaborations. The actual drawing I still do on my own, but in general my practice is not that individualistic. You could even say we form a small scene of people who work on something together, and inspire each other’s work. I like this way of working a lot, since I don’t like to be alone at all.’  R. Van de Velde in conversation with M. Taylor, ‘Interview with Rinus Van de Velde’, in Frame , 25 September 2014

Self-portrait as a tennis hero , 2012

charcoal on canvas, framed 230 x 340 cm.; 90 1/2 x 133 7/8 in.

‘After graduating from Antwerp’s St. Lucas School of Arts in 2006, he remained in the city, abracted to its cheap studio space and concentrated creative community. After a while, he found that his life had become entrenched there: close friends, a girlfriend. But still he found himself enamored with those teenage dreams of adventure. “I started fantasizing about this life I didn’t have because I was always in my studio, which is a bit of a white cube,” he explains. “So, I started to invent this story, or these memories which never happened, and it enabled me to stay in my studio, where I like it most, and still think about experiences which I could have had.” Alone in his studio, TV murmuring in the background, Van de Velde translated these fantasies into art. Working from a database of images collated from film stills, newspaper clippings, history books and more, he decided to deliberately ignore any text that accompanied them. Instead, he envisioned his own narrative. What was happening in each picture? And what role did he play in it? From there, he’d begin to draw, oden inserting himself into the action as the floppy-haired, hollow-eyed protagonist. With each imaginative character, a fresh identity was assumed and a new experience had—from the safety and seclusion of his studio. “It’s all about pretending, not about reality,” he says. As his body of work developed, Van de Velde progressed into building his own sets, transforming the studio space into whatever fantasy had captured his imagination.’  R. Van de Velde in conversation with P. Usher, ‘Day in the Life: Rinus Van de Velde’, in Kinfolk , issue 28, 5 June 2018, p. 87

Self-portait as a young Ellsworth Kelly. What you see in this drawing is not me drawing the drawing...* , 2012

charcoal on canvas 270 x 360 cm.; 106 1/4 x 141 3/4 in. Collection: CAC Malaga, Malaga

‘Accompanied by long titles that begin with a variation on the phrase ’Self-portrait as' and are composed like mini-stories, the drawings have a picturesque as well as a cinematographic, almost Hollywoodian quality. Almost, but not quite, as the ostensible artificiality of the scenes (recurring and random props) makes the reality of their production in the artist's studio creep back in, while anachronisms and blatant historical falsities [...] and self-irony highlight the fictiveness of the stories. But openly fictive and ironic as they may be, the works remain boldly self-centered.’  K. Soels, ‘Becoming an Image (and moving on to the next one) on the work of Rinus van de Velde’, in Vault Magazine , April 2013

A triptych about a project I was promised where I could work with some of the finest specimen of Hellenistic and Roman sculpture , 2011

charcoal on paper 200 x 536 cm.; 78 3/4 x 211 in. Collection: S.M.A.K., Ghent

‘The works do not fit easily in an autonomous tradition that focuses on the work itself and chooses to neglect the artist who made it, and have even less to do with certain neopolitical or social tendencies in contemporary art. Yet the drawings are awkwardly contemporary, and touch a sensitive chord in an age that in spite of all critical deconstructions of the Ego and the Image has never been more obsessed with the self and how it is developed through images. One could say that Van de Velde's practice is essentially a mixed reaction to the image-saturated world the artist grew up in. In his earlier works, Van de Velde used an abundance of available photographic images from magazines like National Geographic and online databases as source material for his drawings. The idea was to try and inhabit that multitude, to appropriate and incorporate it, a gesture that could be seen as a materialisation or enlargement of what every contemporary viewer does to a certain extent: relating images to the world' he lives in, or beber: to reality as he subjectively experiences it.’  K. Soels, ‘Becoming an Image (and moving on to the next one) on the work of Rinus van de Velde’, in Vault Magazine , April 2013  

All works: © Rinus Van de Velde, photo courtesy of Tim Van Laere Gallery

Data to update

Data import, data to delete, other blocks than selectedworks.

Rinus Van de Velde

more information

Fiction and reality, but also words and images merge in the work of Rinus Van de Velde (1983). With drawings, sculptures, installations, photos and films, this Belgian all-round artist rebuilds the absurdist stories that take place in his head. For his solo exhibition at Voorlinden, he ‘borrows’ works from the museum collection. For example by Kaari Upson, René Magritte and Rodney Graham. The exhibition can be seen from 11 February to 29 May 2023.

Rinus Van de Velde is a true explorer, but does not want to leave his studio to do so. And he doesn’t need to. He collects photos and clippings, watches documentaries and reads (artists’) biographies and books on philosophy and art history. Whilst daydreaming, he transforms these different sources of inspiration into his own surrealistic stories, often putting himself in someone else’s shoes. Van de Velde records his daydreamed journeys and encounters with pastel crayon or charcoal drawings. He also makes ceramic ashtrays full of stories and rebuilds his dreams with cardboard and wooden sets, which he uses for his drawings and films. The diversity of the Belgian artist’s oeuvre is clearly reflected in his exhibition at Voorlinden.

Building an autobiography

Rinus Van de Velde’s solo exhibition feels like a fascinating journey through the artist’s imaginary universe, taking you from one strange scene to another. You are, as it were, walking through a part of his fictional autobiography full of daydreamed adventures, as he sees his oeuvre. He started with giant charcoal drawings with captions containing thoughts or dialogues. He draws so virtuosically that these works look like paintings. Nowadays, he also creates them with pastel crayons. Since 2013, he has been building huge installations full of ‘props’, such as a train made of cardboard. These installations are used for photographs for drawings and as sets for his films The Villagers (2017-2019) and La Ruta Natural (2019-2021). The sets and sculptures have also become an essential part of the artist’s fictional autobiography.

Exploring the collection

If you look closely, you will also discover works by other artists in Rinus Van de Velde’s exhibition. The Flemish artist selected works from the museum collection by artists who intrigue him, attract him or are his opposite. For instance, out of fascination for the mythical artistry of Joseph Beuys (1921-1986), he retrieved Beuys’ sledge with felt and grease from the Voorlinden depot. He also selected a work by the recently deceased Rodney Graham (1949-2022) and Kaari Upson (1970-2021). He also enters into dialogue with compatriots such as René Magritte (1898-1967) and Marcel Broodthaers (1924-1976) and included a work by Thomas Demand (1964), a German artist who makes photographs that also appear convincingly real or strangely artificial.

Daydreaming artist

Rinus Van de Velde was born in Leuven (Belgium) and studied sculpture at Sint-Lukas Hogeschool in Antwerp. His narrative work is in the tradition of Belgian artists such as James Ensor (1860-1949) and René Magritte. An inventive sculptor and humorous storyteller, his playful work aims not to depict the world, but to invent it. In doing so, he places himself in art history and explores the role of the artist. His oeuvre and exhibition at Voorlinden reflect this image of a searching, constantly role-shifting artist daydreaming about other possible lives and encounters. For instance, as wandering adventurer, inventor, athlete, sculptor William Crowder (1913-1979), poet Vladimir Mayakovsky (1893-1930) and chess genius Bobby Fischer (1943-2008). The latter work is part of the Voorlinden collection.

• Rinus Van de Velde rinusvandevelde.com

Searching for...

Rinus Van de Velde

• Installation Views
• Press release

Gallery Baton is pleased to announce the second solo exhibition of Rinus Van de Velde (b. 1983) from 5th October to 5th November 2022. In this exhibition, he reveals drawings in oil pastel, a medium he is recently fascinated by due to its flexibility to show diverse and dramatic expressions. La Ruta Natural , a single-channel video (13min 34sec) filmed during the pandemic, is shown at the gallery. The exhibition enables us to explore further into circular narratives in virtual, actual and parallel universes by the artist.

Instagram, which has become a window to see the world, delivers millions of images and short messages everyday in an identical layout. Images we want to show others, which could make others desire my life, can be explained by the principles of the parallel universe that Van de Velde refers to. As a staged photo only captures the very moment of life and does not reflect someone’s life entirely, the artist's hypothesis suggests that there may be another person who experienced such moments every day. Introduced in his first solo exhibition, Most of the time during the day… (2018) is a 6-meter-wide charcoal painting depicting a moment where a person, whose appearance is similar to the artist, is immersed in investment analysis in the basement trading room. However, with texts—raising money by day-trading to fund the art he produced at night—placed far below, it gives a confusing message to those who know the artist’s neat appearance.

Van de Velde is aware of a potential of the “text”, though the texts are not as visually appealing as the images occupying most part of his work. Gillian Wearing (b. 1963) delivered the uncanny gap and tension in a photo of a young businessman smiling with a piece of paper saying "I’m Desperate", while the sentence from Van de Velde operates as a monologue adding a calm, contemplative mood in the image. Most of the sentences, written in the first person perspective combined with a figure preoccupied in something or a landscape, give an illusion that seems to be the autobiographical narrative of the artist. Especially in his new oil pastel drawings, vibrant colors casually sprinkled over texts relax the boundaries between images and text and raise fascinating uncertainty in reading them.

Rinus Van de Velde lives and works in Antwerp, Belgium. He received his master degrees at Sint Lucas Antwerpen in 2006 and at HISK (Hoger Instituut Voor Schone Kunsten - Vlaanderen) in 2010. He has held solo exhibitions at numerous prestigious museums such BOZAR (2022) in Brussels, Kunstmuseum Luzern (2021) in Luzern, Frac des Pays de la Loire (2021) in Nantes, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Málaga (2020). His works are in the collections including S.M.A.K., Belfius Art Collection, Royal museum of Fine Arts in Belgium, Kunstmuseum Den Haag and Museum Voorlinden in Netherlands and CAC Málaga in Spain.

Related artist

GALLERY BATON

116, Dokseodang-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea (04420)

Opening Hours: Tue - Sat, 10am - 6pm

T +82 2 597 5701  F +82 2 597 5705

[email protected]

This website uses cookies This site uses cookies to help make it more useful to you. Please contact us to find out more about our Cookie Policy.

Cookie preferences

Check the boxes for the cookie categories you allow our site to use

Your cart is empty

RINUS VAN DE VELDE

Exhibitions, login needed.

Please log in or sign up to purchase an artwork or talk to a specialist. You will be referred back to this page automatically once you're logged in. 

We use cookies. Many are necessary to operate the website and its functions, others are for statistical or marketing purposes. With the decision "Only accept essential cookies" we will respect your privacy and will not set cookies that aren't necessary for the operation of the site.

Statistics & Marketing

Only accept essential cookies

Individual Data Privacy Settings

save & close

Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper functioning of the website.

Marketing cookies are used by third parties or publishers to display personalized advertising. They do this by tracking visitors across websites.