Johan Kleinjan (Zuid-Beijerland, NL, 1974) works in a characteristic unpolished style with a special use of colour. His works of art originate from his fascinations, which can consist of strange everyday things. To name a few: Formula 1, the participants of Tempation Island, victims of the Stalin terror and the participants in the television programme Opsoring verzocht.
In 1999, he studied for six months as an exchange student at Tokyo Zokei University in Japan, where his fascination with Asian culture began. Because of the language barrier Johan was often sent on trips by his teachers to draw what he came across, here he began to record everything he saw. Later he worked in Taiwan, Beijing and Chongqing. In Beijing he spent four months as an artist in residence at the Chinese Institute for Provocation, which collaborates with the Dutch Mondriaan Fund. Johan takes his pencils and sketchbook with him wherever he goes. He likes to draw people in their own environment, preferably without them being aware of it. In Beijing he drew the Chinese people in crowded places such as restaurants.
Another fascination in China were the large buildings. On the balconies, Johan discovered the diversity among the residents of the uniform residential towers. Where one turns his balcony into a jungle, the other uses it as a birdcage or storage for air conditioners. At the moment Johan is working on a new series of buildings, from all over the world.
In addition to his personal work, Johan is part of the Antistrot collective with which he carried out joint projects such as murals and exhibitions until 2010. Since 2010 Johan has been a member of the collective Kamp Horst.
Johan exhibited in various solo and group exhibitions. His work is greatly appreciated in Asia, where he also did several residencies, for example at the Institute For Provocation in Beijing, China, which collaborates with the Mondriaan Fund. Since 2018 he has worked closely with Galerie Fleur & Wouter, where he held special exhibitions about the victims of the American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and his fascination with the American Bounty Hole racing culture.
CV | Johan Kleinjan
1974, Zuid-Beijerland, Nederland
Lives and works in Rotterdam, Nederland
1997-2010 Member of Antistrot art collective
2010 -----> Member of Kamp Horst art collective
EDUCATION
1995-2000 Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam
1999 Zokei University, Tokyo, Japan
RESIDENCIES
2009 Frans Masereelcentrum, Kasterlee, België
2010 Frans Masereelcentrum, Kasterlee, België
2013 National Center for Contemporary Arts, Kronstadt, Russische Federatie
2015 CBK Rotterdam R&D Residency, Taipei, Taiwan,
2017 Institute For Provocation, Beijing, China
2018 The Tower Room, VondelCS, Amsterdam
2021 The Grand Artist in Residence, The Grand, Amsterdam
GRANTS & AWARDS
2001 Start Stipendium, Fonds voor Beeldende Kunsten, Vormgeving en Bouwkunst
2004 Start Stipendium, Fonds voor Beeldende Kunsten, Vormgeving en Bouwkunst
2006 Investeringsbijdrage, CBK Rotterdam
2008 Live Stipendium, Fonds voor Beeldende Kunsten, Vormgeving en Bouwkunst
2010 Basis Stipendium, Fonds voor Beeldende Kunsten, Vormgeving en Bouwkunst
2015 Onderzoek en Ontwikkelingssubsidie, CBK Rotterdam
2016 Investeringsbijdrage, CBK Rotterdam
2017 Bijdrage Buitenlandatelier, Mondriaan Fonds
2017 Productielening, CBK-Fonds Kwadraat
2021 Bijdrage Makersloket, Stichting Droom & Daad
2023 Stadstekenaar Rotterdam, CBK Rotterdam
SOLO & DUO EXHIBITIONS
2002 Kuruma, Morgen Galerie, Rotterdam
2011 Unstable Situations, Wall Gallery, Rotterdam
2012 Collapses, Aquvii, Tokyo, Japan
2015 Concrete Jungle, Gallery Untitled, Rotterdam
2017 Controlled Demolition, Black Sesame Space @Institute for Provocation, Beijing, China
2018 Chinezen, Untitled Gallery, Rotterdam
2018 Tower Tower, VondelCS, Amsterdam
2019 Stang Kleinjan, Galerie 158, Schiedam (duo)
2020 Sight by Sight, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam (duo)
2020 Ten Cats In The Window, Raam Maar @ Printroom, Rotterdam
2021 Wild, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam (duo)
2022 Kunst Rai Amsterdam, met Galerie Fleur & Wouter (duo)
2022 This Art Fair, Amsterdam
2022 The New Print, Kapitaal, Utrecht
2023 Not In My Back Yard, Ruby Soho Galerie, Den Bosch
2023 Yellow Magenta Greenhouse, Kunst Rai Amsterdam, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam
2023 Beest Mode, Flying Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2024 Verhuisdier from Hell, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2005 Stick Figure, Showroom Mama, Rotterdam
2006 Dialogue 1, Vis a Vis Art Lab, Xiamen, China
2006 Eldorado, MUDAM, Museum for Modern Art, Luxemburg
2006 Grant 31, Muurschilderingen, Fonds voor Beeldende Kunsten, Vormgeving en Bouwkunst
2008 I Have Some Trash In My Head, C.A.G. Gallery, St. Petersburg, Russische Federatie
2010 Project Runaway, 3rd Ward, New York, Verenigde Staten
2010 Solid Cold, The Shooting Gallery, San Francisco, Verenigde Staten
2011 Collection exhibition 2010, Frans Masereel Center, Kasterlee, België
2011 A Paper Trail, Warande / De Hallen, Geel, België
2012 Pain language, Parco Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2012 Nature, Untitled2011, Rotterdam
2013 Easy Living, Kunstverein Diepenheim
2014 Kronstadt Stories, State Museum of the History of St Petersburg, Russische Federatie
2015 Aquvii Art Ticket, YCC Yokohama, Japan
2016 010, Rento Brattinga Galerie, Amsterdam
2017 Got It For Cheap, The Hole, New York, Verenigde Staten
2018 Velvet Ropes, Galeri Golsa, Oslo, Noorwegen
2019 The Great Fleur & Wouter Show, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam
2019 Dahmer's Dates & Other Sex Stories, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam
2020 Ongemak, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam
2020 Americana, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam
2021 Summer of ’21, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam
2021 Art on Paper @ Kunst Rai, met Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam
2021 Nieuwe Werk, Hilton Art Lab, Rotterdam
2021 Vertekend Beeld, Moving Gallery, Utrecht
2022 The Elusive Self, Torch Gallery, Amsterdam
2022 Wild Summer of Art, Brutus, Rotterdam
2022 A Perfect Day, NDSM, Amsterdam
2022 Kapitaal 10 Years, Kapitaal, Utrecht
2023 Kunstambassade @ Go West, Studio’s Borgerstraat, Rotterdam
2023 Outside Borgerstraat, Foundation B.a.d. Rotterdam
2023 Getekend, Rotterdam! Kunsthal Rotterdam
2024 Japanse Wunderkammer, Galerie 158, Schiedam
2024 Moving Gallery, Utrecht
COMMISSIONS
2015 Muurschildering, Patronaat, Haarlem
2016 Muurschildering, Generator Hostel, Amsterdam
2016 Muurschildering, Kookpunt, Rotterdam
2019 Muurschildering, VBAT, Amsterdam
2022 Muurschildering, Fluor, Amersfoort
2023 Tekeningen Tijdlijn kunstenaars Rabo Art Lab # 3.4, Rabo Art Collection
Collections: Boijmans van Beuningen, Stadsarchief Rotterdam, Frans Masereel Center
Work in private collections in the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Japan, USA, UK, among others.
PERFORMANCES
2005 Investor, Johan Kleinjan & Dennis Tyfus, Xiamen, China
2006 Behringer Performance, Fonds BKVB, Amsterdam
2008 Caterpillar, Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam
2009 Ebi Cannibals, NADiff, Tokyo, Japan
2011 Tros Banana, @ TodaysArt, Korzo Theater, The Hague
2017 Emperor Handbag, Forbidden City, Beijing, China
Galerie Fleur & Wouter
Van Ostadestraat 43A, Amsterdam
info@galeriefleurenwouter.com
+31 6 57 74 82 99