Curriculum Vitae

Work in stock:
In the Stedelijk Museum, in Amsterdam
In Gallery "Het Kunstbedrijf" in Heemstede
In the Flat Files of Pierogi Art Gallery, Williamsburg, NY, USA

Exhibitions;

2022 Solo exhibition and abstract music performance Herklanking at Meentwerf, Hilversum
2022 Group exhibition and abstract music performance Herklanking at Gluren bij de buren Festival Hilversum
2022 Group exhibition and abstract music performance Herklanking at 150 years Hotel Jans, Silverpoint Hilversum
2022 Solo exhibition at De Dobbe in Drempt
2022 Permanent exhibition at Xaviera Hollander B&B in Amsterdam
2022 Members exhibition "Salon" Artist Foundation Arti et Amicitiea in Amsterdam
2020 Group exhibition at The Boiler; Pierogi gallery, Williamsburg in New York City
2019 Group exhibition at ZoMooij gallery, Amsterdam
2019 Summer Salon Artist Foundation Arti et Amicitiea in Amsterdam
2019 Members exhibition "Salon" Artist Foundation Arti et Amicitiea in Amsterdam
2019 Private solo exhibition at curator Mabel Hoogendonk PC Hooftstraat in Amsterdam
2018 Members exhibition "Salon" Artist Foundation Arti et Amicitiea, Amsterdam
2018 Group exhibition "Colorful city" Artist Foundation Arti et Amicitiea in Amsterdam
2018 New members exhibition "Update" Artist Foundation Arti et Amicitiea in Amsterdam
2017 Members exhibition "Salon" Artist Foundation Arti et Amicitiea in Amsterdam
2017 Open studio's in Amsterdam Center/East
2016 Group exhibition Bunker Free Fringe Festival in Amsterdam
2016 Adaf kunstbeurs Amsterdam
2015 6th international painting & mixed media competition/group exhibition Lessedra gallery Sofia Bulgaria
2015 Group exhibition Kunstenaarsbal Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam
2015 Open studio's Amsterdam in Center/East
2014 5th international painting & mixed media competition/group exhibition Lessedra gallery Sofia Bulgaria
2014 Art Now Art Fair in Breda
2014 Group exhibition Kunstenaarsbal Tropeninstituut Amsterdam
2014 Group exhibition "Cat show" Peter Klashorst gallery Amsterdam
2013 Summer Art Salon, solo exhibition "F words" , at Isabel Lark Fine Arts, Lititz, Pennsylvania, USA
2010 Open studio's Watergraafsmeer first show after 3 years work on "The fertility of planet Earth" 
2007 Grafiekfestijn 2007 gallery "De Zevende Hemel" in Velp
2007 Group exhibition at the city-hall n Purmerend
2006 Solo exhibition at the Art café; Koffie Salon in Amsterdam
2005 Solo exhibition Art-restaurant; Puyck Amsterdam
2005 Group exhibition with Artsplace in Todi Italy
2004 Three man exhibition at gallery "De Groene Poort", Midden Beemster 
2004 Solo exhibition end of April at business center Rokinview, at the Rokin in Amsterdam
2004 Group exhibition in Heemstede at gallery "Het Kunstbedrijf"
2004 Graphics manifestation Prent Nu in Loods 6, Amsterdam
2004 Manifestation/exhibition"Bekende Nederlanders" Vrijplaats Amsterdam
2004 Openateliers Beemster kunstroute 
2004 Holland Art Fair in Den Haag with K.V.H.en O. de Boterhal
2004 Group exhibition "Drempelzucht" Artsplace Amsterdam
2003 Solo exhibition opkamer Boterhal Hoorn
2003 Member exhibition Boterhal Hoorn
2003 Group exhibition" seizoendrift" Arts place Amsterdam
2003 Group exhibition Images of Desire 3 Artwalk/kunstenaars en co. Amsterdam
2003 Holland Art Fair with "de Boterhal" in Den Haag
2003 Beemster kunstroute, open ateliers Purmerend
2003 Group exhibition starting gallery Witlov Amsterdam
2002 Group exhibition Windowlicker Artwalk/kunstenaars en co. Amsterdam
2002 Solo exhibition stichting Passepartout gemeentehuis Lelystad
2001 Group exhibition artist-association de Boterhal Hoorn 
2001 Group exhibition museum Waterland Purmerend
2001 Group exhibition gallery BauBau Nwe. Lelystraat Amsterdam
2001 Kunst Ahoy Artfair Rotterdam with galerie Baubau
2000 Two man exhibition with P. Klashorst at gallery "So far so good" Amsterdam


Biography

Vian was born in 1959 in Amsterdam, where he graduated in graphics at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in 1984. For academic drawing assignments, he wiped black excess ink off a Chinese brush onto a separate sheet of paper. The shapes that resulted, gradually morphed into abstract compositions. Vian became intrigued by the mysterious beauty in bringing order to chaos, in fine tuning and playing with the hidden mathematics. His teachers didn’t espouse abstraction at the time, asking him to "do that at home", thereby banning his dissident abstract exploration into anonymity. But the protective walls of his imprisonment offered him the freedom to experiment and, unimpeded by critics, he has continued for the last thirty years to make his black and whites in sketchbooks which he took with him on all his journeys. Soon, he will publish 53 of them in the book “Secret drawings”. Less secret is the public work he made simultaneously, shown and sold in numerous exhibitions. It shows Vian's artistic growth over the years, diverting between realism, surrealism in more- and less narrative acrylic paintings. Everything in the universe is shaped by building blocks and so, the paintings are constructed with numerous tiny shapes, all varied. This particular element defines Vian's recognizable style, showing his affinity for detail and presence of the human hand. Since January 2008, Vian runs the enterprise “Mooie Muren”, producing exclusive digital Wallpaper, as well as hand painted seamless wallpaper and murals.

Artist Statement

Art expresses the unspeakable through the use of light and sound. When it resonates inside us in the form of an experience, we do not need to draw upon the power of reason in order to know that it is uplifting. All we need is the memory of a time when we were still in harmony with our environment. To a greater or lesser extent, everybody still has such memory! After I started experimenting with abstract drawing, I recognized surrealist André Masson's fascination in some of his “Automatic drawings”. That I am not alone in that fascination, confirmed that I found a vein of the unspeakable. I may be one of few, who doesn't pursue originality. Even so; “my work resembles nothing”.

In my Art, there are no rules, nor limits in choice of subjects; in 2013 I made “F words”, a series of prints, each titled with a crucial word that starts with an F, like Fun, Food, Freedom and Fertility. Today I fuse the nature of “Secret drawings” with my public work in color. Tomorrow I may comment on the news using Photoshop, or I may imitate Neanderthals, making stone carvings of celebrities, after images from the hacked “iCloud “ and later I may write a new Artist Statement, for truth is hardly ever always the same and varies depending on circumstance.

Human society is like a patchwork quilt of paradoxes, with here and there a sparkle of light from an Artist or philosopher. The quilt suffocates the Fertility of Planet Earth with stress. Money and Art are illusions, they work as long as we believe in them; I can only make Art if I step out of the matrix, by working outside the establishment; I'm pleased to meet other like-minded artists, also free of competitive anxiety and united we reveal the “Real World”. If you understand my work, you can tell the future. If you can't, you may be better off; who wants to know the future and see, that soon money will be worth nothing and Art everything?

The game;

At a silver gray dawn, again it rains blood and tears.
For breakfast I eat sandwiches with cold and warm corpses.
Then the radio leaks daily madness and godforsaken gal.
But when I'm ready to start working, I turn the radio off.
The street pushes through the window the sound of playing kids.
Then I know again, that like that exuberant offspring,
I have the same naïve goal, to color the wavering world.

About details

Many Artists, state that the big picture is what matters and details are not important,
but there is no ocean without drops, nor buildings without bricks or parts and no body without cells.
7 billion people are joined together in a big picture, called Humanity.
Are people just details that can be ignored?
Vian has a strong affinity for details and the intrinsic value of the individual.

Quotes

"Truth is hardly ever true and even that is not true".
"In Art we trust, should be printed on the dollar bill”
“Replace the word God by the word Art consequently and the World can still be saved”.
“Art expresses and feeds appreciation for our environment”.
“To be a genius is not just a matter of talent, it may just as well be a lack of talent on other levels”.
“I'm not so sure if it's so great to be a hero, but I sure could use the money”.
“The only limitation I must accept and nevertheless violate, is the edge of the canvas”.
“Art opens doors to a reality without stress, but don't worry; you are free to return whenever you want”.
“Creating a new world is an act of love”.
“Violence takes place where there is a lack of education; Art should be taught at all schools”.
“Do not imagine we are as one, we are one”.
“How much is sacred, when nothing is secret”?
“If originality is the only key to success, it demands compromise on all levels of creativity from the Artist. Good Art is always more or less rooted in Art history.
Originality is just one criteria, but if it is the sole threshold, Art is evaluated on the wrong ground”.