Marlene Dumas is one of the world's leading contemporary artists. She is acclaimed for her psychologically charged paintings and drawings, which probe the complexities of identity, emotion, and representation. Known for her expressive approach to the human figure, Dumas has exhibited internationally and represented the Netherlands at the Venice Biennale. Her works are highly sought after, fetching record prices at auction.
Born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1953, Dumas grew up on a vineyard in Kuils River during the height of apartheid, an experience that would later inform her art's political and emotional depth. She studied Fine Art at the University of Cape Town from 1972 to 1975, where she was exposed to diverse cultures and ideas for the first time. In 1976, Dumas moved to the Netherlands to attend Ateliers '63 in Haarlem, later studying psychology at the University of Amsterdam. She has lived and worked in Amsterdam since 1976.
Dumas's art practice centres on figurative painting and drawing, exploring themes such as sexuality, race, guilt, innocence, and the tension between public and private selves. Her works often draw from media imagery, art history, and personal photographs, transforming 'second-hand images' into emotionally resonant, first-hand experiences.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Dumas began exhibiting internationally, developing her distinctive style through paintings, collages, and works on paper. Her early works, such as Love vs Death (1980), reflect her engagement with existential and political themes. This early painting is recognised as a monumentally chaotic early work that foregrounds many of the existential and emotional themes that define her practice. The painting is large in scale and notable for its raw, expressive brushwork and complex composition. In this artwork, Dumas explores the tension between opposing forces through a dynamic arrangement of figures and forms that appear to collide and dissolve into one another.
Dumas is renowned for her unconventional portraiture, including series like Great Men (2014–ongoing), which addresses homophobia, and The First People (1990), a set of monumental paintings of newborns that challenge traditional power dynamics. Her subjects range from public figures to strippers, infants, and herself, constantly probing the boundaries of vulnerability and strength.
Key works include The Image as Burden (1993), an iconic painting that explores the relationship between artist, subject, and image, and The Visitor (1995), which broke auction records for a living female artist. Dumas's paintings often evoke intimacy and discomfort, confronting viewers with desire, shame, and mortality.
Marlene Dumas has been the subject of solo and group exhibitions at important institutions. Below is a selection of important exhibitions.
In addition to the above, Dumas' work has appeared regularly in thematic exhibitions at the following institutions.
Dumas's work has been widely reviewed in leading publications, including Frieze, The Guardian, Financial Times, and Artforum.
Dumas is known for her emotionally charged paintings and drawings, especially her unconventional portraiture and exploration of identity, sexuality, and race.
Notable works include The Image as Burden (1993), The Visitor (1995), The First People (1990), and the series Great Men (2014–ongoing).
Her artworks are held in major museum collections worldwide, including MoMA, Tate, Centre Pompidou, and Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.
Dumas has received the Rolf Schock Prize, Düsseldorf Art Prize, Johannes Vermeer Award, and more.
She transforms images from media, art history, and personal life into powerful paintings that challenge conventions and evoke strong emotional responses.
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