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Karl de Vroomen

Karl de Vroomen's paintings explore the significance and meaning that can be found within the apparently innocuous or trivial. He is intrigued by the peripheral or marginal sites that exist between nature and culture, countryside and city, and his paintings document observed fact while responding to the poetry of these places.

Reverie of nature locates the artist’s practice within the tradition of romanticism. de Vroomen takes inspiration from evidence of man’s interventions and the cycle of decay and renewal within the environment.

In much of de Vroomen’s work important events seem poised to occur and an atmosphere of disquiet or suspense pervades. It is this sense of theatre and strangeness that guides his choice of imagery; creating paintings that have a specific resonance and mood that is difficult to describe; paintings that offer an equivalent for the unexpected beauty found in these disregarded landscapes.

Karl de Vroomen was born in 1982 in London and lives and works in Newcastle upon Tyne. He graduated from Newcastle University in 2009 with an MA in Fine Art (with distinction), following the completion of a BA (Hons) in Fine Art Paiting at the University of Brighton in 2006.

Upon graduating de Vroomen was awarded the Hole Editions Postgraduate Print Award and in 2010 was awarded a residency at Newcastle University. Also in 2010 Karl de Vroomen was selected by Saatchi’s Associate Director, Rebecca Wilson for inclusion in the Saatchi Online exhibition, Northern Stars, at the A Foundation in Liverpool. He has been shortlisted for the Sainsbury’s Scholarship in Painting and Sculpture at the British School of Rome, and has been included in art fairs and exhibitions in London, New York, Manchester, Brighton and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Education

2009 MA Fine Art, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne

2006 BA (Hons) Fine Art, University of Brighton, Brighton

2001 Foundation Diploma in Art & Design, Wimbledon School of Art, London

Exhibitions

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2011 This is the First Thing, The Gallery in Cork Street, London

2009 New Work, Keighley Arts Factory, Keighley

2008 New Work, Long Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne

2007 New Work, Spitz Gallery, London

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2010 The Art of Christmas, Opus Fine Art, Newcastle upon Tyne

2010 Fresh Cream, Opus Fine Art, London

2010 Summer Exhibition, Opus Fine Art, Newcastle upon Tyne

2010 Fresh Cream 2, Opus Fine Art, Newcastle upon Tyne

2010 Saatchi Online: Northern Stars, The Blade Factory, A Foundation, Liverpool

2009 The Gift of Culture, Opus Fine Art, Newcastle upon Tyne

2009 Fresh Cream, Opus Fine Art, Newcastle upon Tyne

2009 Summer Exhibition, Opus Fine Art, Newcastle upon Tyne

2008 Interim MA Fine Art Show, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne

2008 MA & Other Postgraduates Contemporary Art Show, Atkinson Gallery, Street, Somerset

2007 Fabric to Dye For, Stroud House Gallery, Stroud

2007 Graduate Degree Show, Brighton University, Brighton

2006 Salon 07, Seven Seven Gallery, London

2005 Black Market, The Municipal Market, Brighton

 

AWARDS

2009 Hole Editions Publishing Award

 

ART FAIRS

2011 SCOPE Art Fair, Opus Fine Art, New York

2010 NewcastleGateshead Art Fair, Opus Fine Art, Gateshead

2010 SCOPE Art Fair, Opus Fine Art, New York

2009 NewcastleGateshead Art Fair, Opus Fine Art, Gateshead

2009 Buy Art Fair, Opus Fine Art, Manchester

 

RESIDENCIES

2010 Graduate Fellow, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne

2007 Wooda Arts Residency, Crackington Haven, Cornwall

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