ERIK VAN LIESHOUT

On view is a new series of large-format works on paper along with a short video about peat. The starting point for this series is the town of Deurne in the South of the Netherlands, where the artist, born in 1968, grew up. In the 1980s he campaigned with a group of activists for the preservation and expansion of the natural landscape. At that time the original peat landscape had already been turned into agricultural land. Erik van Lieshout’s engagement with the topic started in September 2022 and turned into an ongoing project for the artist.

‘This project is about peat and family; the ground where we are from, but also about politics and climate change. Peatland stores CO2, but when this land is changed into something else a lot of CO2 comes into the air. As an artist I can do something in this land because I know the people very well; my family is here. One of the large works on paper shows my father and me sitting on a bench in De Peel. The other large works on paper depict Peat Cutters in the 1950’s.’

Erik van Lieshout lives and works in Rotterdam. He studied at Ateliers ‘63 (1991-1992) and exhibited internationally. Raised as a son of two social workers and activists in the 1970’s—travelling with his parents from one demo gathering to the other—van Lieshout works in a variety of disciplines, mainly with uncompromising video installations and drawings, in which he often combines the political with the personal. His videos make use of stop motion animations and are close to documentary style. He works with embarrassment and humour, often stepping into the satirical with his direct approach to human society and its many ambivalences.

Solo exhibitions include René Daniëls, Maureen Paley, London, 2022; René Daniëls, De Pont Tilburg, 2022, together with René Daniëls; Sündenbock (Scapegoat), Kunstverein Hannover, Hannover, 2017; The Show Must Ego On, WIELS Contemporary Art Centre, Brussels, 2016; Commission, MMK Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt, 2015.

Works by Erik van Lieshouts are currently part of the exhibition Ernsthaft?! Albernheit und Enthusiasmus in der Kunst (Seriously?! Silliness and enthusiasm in art) at the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn from May 13 until August 27, 2023 at the Deichtorhallen in Hamburgand from October 14–February 25 at Neue Galerie Graz.

Exhibitions at Galerie Krinzinger: Politically Correct? Dutch!, Galerie Krinzinger, Salzburg and Vienna, 2002, Tessa, Galerie Krinzinger, solo, 2004, Artists of the gallery, Galerie Krinzinger, 2009, Echter Luxus, Galerie Krinzinger, solo, 2011, Screening of The Basement, Galerie Krinzinger Parterre, 2015, ICON - Ideal.Idee.Inspiration, Galerie Krinzinger, 2017, Fort Kochi,Showroom, solo, 2019, Foreign Affairs, Galerie Krinzinger, 2022