KETELEER GALLERY is proud to announce the representation of Dutch artist Paul Kooiker (°1964, Rotterdam).
As a visual artist using photography as his medium, Paul Kooiker’s work is known for its typical signature and character. His work is layered and varied; his photos are visually appealing, open, timeless, without being bland. As a result, he has become a much sought-after creator of iconic images. Kooiker creates an enigmatic kind of beauty that is never superficial, but rather Freudian in the way it plays with dark desires, fetishes and subconscious dreams. He never shies away from any subject or approach. Disconnected from time and place, and transcending classic gender roles, his surreal images feel like film stills of stories we can only imagine. The practice of Paul Kooiker is characterized by a conceptual and experimental approach to photography. For the past five years he created works that flirt with the boundary between commerce and art - the division between his fashion photography and autonomous works is almost impossible to distinguish.
The first presentation of Paul Kooiker will be a duo exhibition with British artist Gabriele Beveridge in October 2024.
“After following Paul Kooiker's artistic journey and recognizing his unique visual language whose surreal undertone recalls icons from art history and photography work, we believe this fits seamlessly with our commitment to presenting groundbreaking contemporary art and building long-lasting relationships” – Koen Leemans, Director Keteleer Gallery
Paul Kooiker is also represented by Galerie Zink (DE) and Tegenboschvanvreden (NL)
Paul Kooiker is an artist / photographer from Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He studied at the Royal Academy of Arts in The Hague and the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam. He has exhibited works internationally, with notable solo exhibitions including FOAM Photography Museum (2022, NL), Museum Folkwang Essen (2021, DE), FOMU Fotomuseum, Antwerp (2018, BE), The Hague Museum of Photography (2014, NL), Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam (2009, NL). In 1996, he was awarded the Prix de Rome, the oldest and most generous award in the Netherlands for visual artists under the age of 40; in 2009, he was awarded the A. Roland Holst Prize. Kooiker has also had several publications: Fashion (2022), The Rumour (2020), Eggs and Rarities (2018), Tokyo (2017), Nude Animal Cigar (2015), Heaven (2012), Sunday (2011), Crush (2009), Room Service (2008), Seminar (2006), Showground (2004), Hunting and Fishing (1999), …
Jan 18, 2024
