The works on paper by Erik Mattijssen and sculptures by Tim Breukers in this exhibition demonstrate how intimate stories can be told in a grand manner. From a personal perspective, their works express universal emotions.
Life and art come together in the sculptures of Tim Breukers (NL, 1985). Scale, humor, narrative, and sculptural techniques versus clumsy solutions play important roles. Things like his daughter, collaborating in ceramic studios, and the neighborhood where he lives influence the process and subject matter of his work.
Dioramas formed the starting point for the series of works that Breukers is exhibiting in the gallery. They took on the form of vases, based on the two-thirds wine barrels with an olive tree in them that he saw on Beukenplein in Amsterdam. The artist made the giant vases together with Norman Trapman, a ceramics expert with an idyllic studio outside Amsterdam:
“When he starts spinning the vases on his wheel, I'm softer than the clay. Wow, this is so beautiful, I exclaim. Norman asks, should it be turned out a little more? ‘I don't know, I think it's so beautiful.’” Tim Breukers
The first story that ended up in one of the vases presented itself while Norman was spinning. Breukers saw him sitting with his elbows in his sides, looking over the vase with his head, and thought he resembled a praying mantis. So he modeled a praying mantis in one of the vases, which wants to know what it is like to be human by performing human crafts. The title of the vase came about when Breukers saw the word mantis, with which he could create a nice portmanteau word: Norman + Mantis = Normantis.
He made a total of eight vases, four of which are on display in the gallery. They are filled with a marble run, his sleeping daughter, or an inner wall of rope. They are presented on ceramic pedestals that merge with their load.
For Erik Mattijssen (NL, 1957), too, the personal is the starting point for artworks with universal meaning and appeal. This exhibition features his most monumental work to date, Winterstalling, which depicts a merry-go-round at rest.
The artist loves merry-go-rounds, both the objects themselves and how people relate to them. As a child, he visited the Efteling theme park, where the exuberant, festive steam carousel stole his heart. He still visits the Efteling with his nephew, and the steam carousel remains a favorite. After a ride on the pig, they watch from a distance as people are drawn to the carousel and change when they sit on it.
Mattijssen began searching for carousels. In Düsseldorf, he saw one that was closed for the night, covered with striped canvas. This gave rise to the idea of a carousel in winter storage, where the animals rest before they have to make their rounds again. In his work, objects tell the stories of absent people. A closed carousel evokes feelings of nostalgia, childhood memories, or times when happiness was as simple as a ride on a carousel. It is not difficult to see the merry-go-round as a metaphor for the cycle of life.
Mattijssen's personal life coincides with his work, as it does with Breukers, both in terms of interest and working methods. For this exhibition, Mattijssen continued to work on a number of merry-go-round animals. As a prelude to new work, he likes to do what he enjoys most: painting drums, this time. What once began with the Blechtrommel from Berlin, based on the famous book by Günter Grass and the film, has led to a large collection: from marching bands from Ireland to small toy drums for children. Some of the drums are presented next to Winterstalling. Just as Norman Trapman’s vases make Breukers as soft as clay, Mattijssen remains attracted to the oval shape of the drums. We eagerly await what he will create next.
Exhibition from November 1 till December 7
.
CV Tim Breukers
Born 6 October 1985, Breda, lives and works in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Education
Fontys Academie Beeldende Vorming, Tilburg, Docent Beeldende Kunst en Vormgeving
Residency's
Europees Keramisch Werk Centrum, Oisterwijk, 2025
IBB Mondriaan Fonds, Willemstad, CW, 4 maanden, onderzoek ‘Blekero’ en docentschap
Europees Keramisch Werk Centrum, Oisterwijk, 3 maanden, monumentaal keramiek
Bus Projects in samenwerking met Onomatopee, Melbourne, AU, 1 maand, artist in residence
CARF Mondriaan Fonds, Kolkata, IN, 3 maanden, artist in residence
MMCA Mondriaan Fonds, Seoul, KR, 6 maanden, artist in residence
Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam,
Collections
Centraal Museum Utrecht
Design Museum 's-Hertogenbosch Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken Rabo Kunst Collectie
Akzonobel
Kunstfonds Kolibri
Rijksakademie Beeldende Kunsten The Duth Pinballmuseum
Exhibitions
2025
Timmerik Dubbelklik, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam
2024
Infini, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam, groepshow
NAP+, Amsterdam, met Galerie Fleur & Wouter, groepshow
European Ceramic Context 2024, Bornholm (DK), triënale
CODA, Apeldoorn, ‘Breekbaar’, groepshow
Nederlandse Ambassade , Dakar, SE, ‘Over Ouderschap’, duo show with Bouba Ndiaye
Depot Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, ‘Let’s talk Money’, group show
Maristes, Dakar, SE, ‘Entre Nous Chez Nous 2’, group show
Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, ‘All is on the one’, group show
Vivid gallery, Rotterdam, duo show
2023
Centraal Museum, Utrecht, ‘Stoel neemt Stelling’, with a.o. Maarten Baas
Kunsthal, Rotterdam, ‘Fancy some friction Honey?’, over 33 jaar galerie Cokkie Snoei
Art Cologne, Keulen (DE), with Vivid gallery
Open Studio, Albert Cuypstraat, Amsterdam
Park, Tilburg, ‘X’, met o.a. Ricardo van Eyck, Nadia Naveau, Charlotte Schleiffert
2022
IBB, Willemstad, CW, ‘Schud je botten’, residency results, solo
Marres, Maastricht, ‘Run in the Alley’, group show
L’atelier de Bouba ‘Entre Nous Chez Nous’ Dakar, SE, group show
Art Rotterdam, Cokkie Snoei, duo show with Sam Hersbach
Art Bar Kippy, Amsterdam, ‘EI / IJ / Y’, leerling meester project door Kunstpodium T
Vriend van Bavink, Amsterdam, ‘Ministery of Ceramic affairs’, groepshow
Kunst Corso, Culturele Stelling van Amsterdam, vrolijke parade door centrum Amsterdam Billytown, Den Haag, ‘RSVP’, samen met Robert Pauwels
2021
Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, ‘Your Playground’, museumnacht
Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Icheon, KR, ‘Dutch Ceramics Now’, biënnale Rijksakademie, Amsterdam, ‘Live from the Rijks’ 150 years of artist practice
Milkfish, Amsterdam, ‘Here’ groepshow
Welcome Stranger, ‘Centre Piece’, Amsterdam, solo
2020
Biti ak Biir, Vila des Art, Dakar, SN, met Gareth Nyandoro and Laye Ka
sundaymorning@ekwc, Oisterwijk, ‘Testcase’
Annie Gentils Gallery, Antwerp, BE, summershow
W139, Amsterdam, ‘Market’, initiator Bert Jacobs
Nieuw en Meer, Amsterdam, ‘Waaromnieloods’, duo show met Joost Krijnen
2019
EKWC, Heusden, ‘De Verhalen’
De Apotheek, Amsterdam, ‘emoH’, met Marcel van den Berg en Sjoerd Tim
(re)D. Gallery, Antwerp, BE, ‘10 years gallery anniversary’, met o.a. Narcisse Tordoir
Stedelijk Museum ’s-Hertogenbosch, ’50 jaar EKWC’
Art Brussels, (re)D. Gallery, BE
2018
Zoete Broodjes, Amsterdam, ‘Timpies Prijzen Paleis’, solo
Beeldenstorm, Eindhoven, ‘The secret life of materials’, curator Stef van Bellingen
Bus Projects, Melbourne, AU, duo met Sanne Vaassen, in samenwerking met Onomatopee Unfair Amsterdam
W139, Amsterdam, ‘Space Without Time’, initiator Esther de Graaf
2017
Studio 21, Kolkata, IN, ‘BREAKING NEWS’, solo
Boys club, Dariyapur, IN, ‘Futchka!’, solo
NEST, The Hague, ‘Beyond Thunderdome’, initiator Unfair
SSQQ, Seoul, KR, ‘Dove Audio & Video Festival Showcase’
Bannerproject, Gieterij Beeldenstorm, Eindhoven, Dutch Design Week
De School, Amsterdam, ‘15/LOVE’, met o.a. Bram de Jong en Sjoerd Tim
Sculptuur Bredelar, DE, met Arian de Vette en Sjoerd Buisman
Stedelijk Museum ’s-Hertogenbosch, ‘Verkenning voor een collectie’
Hans & Fritz Contemporary, Barcelona, ES, duo show met Wieteke Heldens
Anningahof, Zwolle, met o.a. André Pielage, Bastienne Kramer en Paul de Reus
Hotel Maria Kapel, Hoorn, ‘Tribute to Julian B. Coco’, duo met Katrein Breukers
Artist First Ceramic Plus, Francis Boeske Projects, Amsterdam, duo met Koen Taselaar
De Nederlandsche Bank, Amsterdam, ‘Archive Fever’, met o.a. Folkert de Jong
2016
800/40, Seoul, KR, ‘Free iPhones in soupy noodles’, solo
MMCA Changdong, Seoul, KR, ‘Nomans Land’, met o.a. Pablo Lobato en Igor Vidor Sculpture Biënnale, Changwon, KR
Willem 2 fabriek, ’s-Hertogenbosch, curator Loek Grootjans i.s.m. het S.M.A.K.
W139, Amsterdam, initiator Marcel Van den Berg met o.a. Bert Jacobs en Gareth Nyandoro Museum De Pont, Tilburg, ‘De Eerste Steen’, podiumzaal, duo met Andreas Arndt
PaltzArt, Soest, met o.a. André Pielage en Dominique Himmelsbach de Vries
YIA Art fair, Brussel, BE, met Galerie Van de Weghe
Art Cologne, Keulen, DE, met Mirko Mayer Gallery
Galerie Mirko Mayer, Keulen, DE, solo
Galerie Van de Weghe, Antwerpen, BE, ‘De Vooruitdenker’, solo
Teaching
Amsterdammuseum, Kindermuseum Lab, (pending)
Koninklijke Academie Beeldende Kunsten, Den Haag, School voor Jong Talent, docent LUCA School of Arts, Gent, BE, gastdocent
Academie Beeldende Vorming, Tilburg, docent
Clay Club Dakar, SN, workshop
Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam, gastdocent, Open Dag en Uncut projectleider AKV Sint Joost, ’s-Hertogenbosch, gastdocent, projectweekleider
SSQQ, Seoul, KR, workshop
Vrije Kunsten aan de MAD Faculty, Hasselt, BE, gastdocent
Commissions
Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt, schetsontwerp 750 jaar Amsterdam
Trofee Amsterdamprijs voor de Kunst, ontworpen en uitgevoerde klei 3D geprinte prijzen Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt, herdenkingsmunt Operatie Market Garden, oplage 50.000 Poort van Toorop, Wonan, schetsontwerp voor semiopenbare ruimte
Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt, schetsontwerp drie munten Nederlands Wereld Erfgoed
Funds
2024
Mondriaan Fonds, Kunstenaar Project
Mondriaan Fonds, Voucher Ontwikkeling
2022
Mondriaan Fonds, bijdrage werkperiode IBB
2021
Mondriaan Fonds, Coronaoverbrugging
2016-2020
Mondriaan Fonds, Werkbijdragen bewezen talent
Stichting Van Achterbergh Domhof, bijdragen werkperiode EKWC AFK, bijdragen werkperiode EKWC
2017
Mondriaan Fonds, bijdragen werkperiode CARF
2016
Mondriaan Fonds, bijdragen werkperiode MMCA
CV Erik Mattijssen
1957, Veenendaal, NL
Education
1979-1984 Gerrit Rietveld Academie, Amsterdam
Solo exhibitions (2011 - 2025)
2025 Museum More, Gorssel
2024 Museum Belvédère, Heerenveen
2024 Galerie Fleur en Wouter, Paper Moon
2023 Galerie Raf van Severen, Antwerpen, Belgium
2023 Maksla XO gallery, Riga, Latvia, 'Puppets on a string'
2022 Verwey Museum Haarlem, 'De stille liefdes van Erik Mattijssen'
2022 Paper Positions, Berlin, galerie with tsjalling
2021 Galeria Casa Colon, Merida, Mexico
2020 Art Rotterdam, Cokkie Snoei, with Koos Buster
2020 De Kunsthal, Rotterdam, with Ineke Hans
2020 Museum het Valkhof, Nijmegen, 'Geel als citroen, rood als tomaat' with Ineke Hans
2019 Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, 'Kermisvrijer, de ezel en andere zaken'
2018 Galerie Jean Brolly, Paris, France 'L'épicerie du monde'
2016 Galerie with tsjalling, Groningen 'Conserveermiddelen'
2015 LUMC gallery, Leiden 'Van binnen en van buiten' with Jacobien de Rooij
2014 Ron Lang Art, Amsterdam 'In toenemende mate'
2012 Museum Jan Cunen, Oss, 'As large as life and twice as natural'
2011 Hobusepea Gallery, Tallinn (Estonia) 'Sleeping Beauty'
2011 Foundation Obras, Evora, Portugal 'Estou so a ver'
Group exhibitions (2011 - 2025)
2025 Art Antwerp, with Galerie Fleur & Wouter
2025 Timmerik Dubbelklik, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam
2025 '15 jaar We Like Art', Loods 6, Amsterdam
2025 'Puppet Masters', Museum Jan Cunen, Oss
2024 Castlemania, Galerie Fleur & Wouter, Amsterdam
2024 Paper Positions, Berlin, met galerie with tsjalling en Kim van Norren, Rosa Everts
2024 Liefde voor tekenen' Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
2024 In het bos staat een huis, 50PK Ede
2024 Back to Berlin', Galerie Livingstone, den Haag
2023 'Earth', AKZO Nobel Art space, Amsterdam
2023 Een lekkere dood, Museum Tot Zover, Amsterdam
2023 Als de dood, Museum Belvedere, Heerenveen
2023 Klokkenspel, We Like Art, Amsterdam
2022 Copy Paste, with tsjalling, Groningen
2022 Paper Positions Berlin - gallery with tsjallling
2022 KunstKamer Delft
2021 Tiergarten, Alkmaar
2021 30 jaar Galerie Livingstone, The Hague
2021 'Uitverkoren', favorieten uit openbare kunstcollecties, LUMC galerie, Leiden
2021 ZIN, Vught
2020 Openingshow Galeria Casa Colon, Merida, Mexico
2019 Pick Me, Collectie de Groen, Arnhem with Welikeart.
2019 Biënnale Gelderland in Arnhem and Museum het Valkhof, Nijmegen
2019 Arti, Amsterdam, 'We wonder where the white went'
2019 Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, 'In de Hoogstraat'
2018 galerie with tsjalling, Groningen 'Cherry picking',
2018 Witteveen Visual Arts, Amsterdam 'Art on Paper'
2017 Ballina Arts Centre (Ireland) 'Human Chain'
2017 Praetoria Antwerp (Belgium) ' Life will be great soon'
2016 Witteveen Visual Arts Centre, 'Amsterdam Drawing'
2016 Cityscapes, Amsterdam 'Inner City'
2015 Museum Jan Cunen, Oss 'Henk van Os komt thuis'
2014 Museum Coda, Apeldoorn 'Natuurkracht'
2014 Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam, 'Kunst4kids'
2013 Ron Lang Art, 'Amsterdam Drawing'
2011 Stedelijk Museum Schiedam 'All about Drawing'
Collections
Centraal Museum, Utrecht
Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
Gemeente Amsterdam
Teylers Museum, Haarlem
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken, The Hague
Kennedy Van der Laan, advocaten, Amsterdam
KPMG, Amsterdam
Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum, Leiden
Utrechts Medisch Centrum. Utrecht
AMC Amsterdam
Intomart GFK, Hilversum
ABN AMRO, Amsterdam
NOG collectie van het SNS Reaal Fonds, Amsterdam
Nederlandsche Credietverzekerings Maatschappij, Amsterdam
AKZO Nobel, Amsterdam
Van Lanschot Bankiers, 's Hertogenbosch
Eneco, Rotterdam
CVZ, Zorgverzekeringen, Amstelveen
CBK Rotterdam
CBK Amsterdam
CBK Groningen
CBK Dordrecht
HEDEN, the Hague
Kemakeur, Arnhem
Bouwfonds Nederlandse Gemeenten, Hoevelaken
Willem Arntz Stichting, Utrecht
Ballinglen Museum of Contemporary Art, Ireland
Rechtbank Amsterdam
Museum Jan Cunen, Oss
Dela kunstcollectie
Montessorischool Waalsdorp, the Hague
Collectie Becht, Naarden
VandenBroek Foundation
Nederlands Kanker Instituut, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, Amsterdam
Collectie Albert Heijn Kunststichting
NN Group Art Collection
Awards
2006 Ballinglen Art Foundation, Ireland, fellowship for life
2011 Publicatie subsidie, Mondriaan Fonds
2018 Cité Internationale des Arts, Mondriaan Fonds - Atelier Holsboer, Paris, France
2021 Winner of the NN Art Award 2021, both the professional jury and the publics choice
Commissions
2014 Mural private owner, Toscane, Italië
2014 Kunsttoepassing Waalsdorp Montessori School den Haag, begeleid door Stroom
2015 Kunst op je kamer, Plaatsmaken, Arnhem
2017 Kunsttoepassing, nieuwe vleugel van het Antoni van Leeuwenhoekziekenuis, Amsterdam
2019 Een drieluik 'De Hoogstraat', in opdracht van het Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
2022 Four art works commissioned by the Isala Art Committee, for the new hospital in Meppel
2022 A permanent work for Verwey Museum Haarlem, commissioned by the Verwey Foundation
2023 A commissioned work for the Children's Hospital Wilhelmina, Utrecht
Residencies
1987 Residency in Ballyconneelly (Ireland, Co.Galway)
1995 Residency in Extremadura (Spain)
2005 Artist in residence Printmakers Cork (Ireland)
2006 Fellowship The Ballinglen Arts Foundation (Ireland, Co. Mayo)
2008 Residency The Ballinglen Arts Foundation (Ireland, Co. Mayo)
2014 Residency The Ballinglen Arts Foundation (Ireland, Co. Mayo)
2018 Residency Cité internationale des Arts - Paris - atelier Holsboer
2021 Residency in Berlin - Livingstone Gallery Projects
2023 Tyrone Guthrie Foundation, Ireland
Portrait of Erik Mattijssen: Roger Cremers
Galerie Fleur & Wouter
The aim of Galerie Fleur & Wouter is to bring young people into contact with art, to make them feel at home in the gallery and to motivate them to start collecting. This philosophy of an accessible and inclusive gallery is reflected in all our activities. We try to communicate in an accessible way and tell clear stories.
We present artists with a strong story, who create works of art that have an immediate appeal, but then turn out to have many other layers as well. Our artists work in different art forms and we are always looking for cross-links outside of the visual arts. Artists who have been ignored by general art history, such as Outsider artists, are also given a platform in the gallery.
The majority of our artists are young and they will grow with the gallery in the coming years. But we also work together with mid-career artists like Jan Hoek and Mai van Oers. We see the gallery, its artists and supporters as a family that, in addition to making a profit, aims to help grow the artists' careers, and increase the appreciation of art in general.
Gallery owners: Fleur Feringa & Wouter van Herwaarden
Feel free to contact us for any questions.
e-mail: info@galeriefleurenwouter.com telephone: +31 6 57748299
Van Ostadestraat 43A, Amsterdam
Thursday - Sunday | 12.00 - 18.00 hrs & by appointment