(b. 1957 Waalwijk, The Netherlands)

Arjan van Arendonk lives and works in ’s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands. He studied at the Royal Academy in Hertogenbosch.

In 2015 Arjan went to Kynsna, South Africa, to work on a body of work to exhibit at Knyna Fine Art Gallery.

Still-life painting is central to the Dutch oeuvre and with these beautiful objects van Arendonk has used 21st century materials in a way that honours a rich tradition. He works on printed fabrics using pigmented silicone and embroidery which give the pieces a sculptural quality.

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“For the surface of my paintings I’ve use printed fabrics since 1990. This industrial material is transformed into a unique work of art. I am inspired by the image, the colors, the rhythm and the pattern of the fabric. I always try to add new elements to my work. A painting is really successful for me as I surprise myself with it. Since a couple of years I have been working with acrylic and silicone. By mixing powder pigments I'm able to mix any colour. The silicone enables me to cover the game of transparency with refined application. The use of embroidery (digital by the Textile Museum and machine by myself) in my paintings is fairly recent and fits perfectly with the theme of my work. The coarse embroidery and 'in progress' feel in my work gives the idea it is not quite finished yet."

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Arjan van Arendonk is represented in many museum collections as well as corporate and private collections worldwide.

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Arjan van Arendonk (born 31 July 1957 in Waalwijk, Netherlands) is a Dutch contemporary artist known for his innovative use of printed industrial fabrics as the foundation of his paintings. Based in ’s-Hertogenbosch, he studied at the Royal Academy for Art and Design, where he developed a fascination with the relationship between mass-produced materials and the handmade mark of the artist.

 

Since the early 1990s, van Arendonk has worked primarily on patterned textile surfaces, transforming them through layers of acrylic paint, pigmented silicone, and intricate embroidery. This distinctive combination creates vibrant, textured works that blur the boundaries between painting, design, and sculpture. His art often features motifs from nature—such as flowers, birds, and organic forms—set against the repetitive structures of industrial prints, creating a dialogue between chaos and order, the intimate and the commercial.

 

Van Arendonk’s work has been exhibited widely in the Netherlands and internationally, and his pieces are held in numerous private, corporate, and public collections. Ever curious and experimental, he continues to explore new materials and processes, aiming to surprise both himself and his viewers with every artwork he creates.