Introduction
Rick Fraterman, born in 1980 in Enschede the Netherlands is currently living in Guiyang, China with his boyfriend and their four cats.
About my work
”The human condition is defined as the positive or negative aspects of being human, such as birth, growth, reproduction, love, and death. The word ‘condition’ makes it sound like a disease that we are all born with, or some curse that is the fate of all humanity, but it seems the human condition is simply based on time - the time we have on this planet and how we as humans live out that time. What we do in between the inevitable birth and death defines us, and there in the middle, we find the making of stories that will be carried on for generations to come. “ 【source: Wikipedia】
I visualise my own personal stories with colorful figurative paintings, detailed architectural models, small objects and occasionally a drawing.
The internet is the source for my inspiration, my unordered archive. I can endlessly scroll on the internet, gather images that satisfy me and would do well for a painting. After choosing an image I simply start painting without any goal. Short-term satisfaction. I am not so much interested in skilful painting or showing off a technical skill. All that matters is line, color, shape, texture and other perceptual aspects. To try and visualize the thought I had when I first saw the image. Content and meaning of the painting just happens along the way. As well as the loss of the original idea. The painting process is like a magician hat, you never really know what comes out of it.
When it comes to my style of work, it is mainly a visual result of made choices. My artworks are filled with contemporary pop-culture references, allusions to art history, movies, magazines, music, literature, images from different social media platforms. Additional items and objects are added into the work to create a more layered and diffused narrative.
I like viewers to recognize, enjoy what they see and confront them with a world where things are transformed and placed in another context. I have this eager need to make things look better, nicer, more innocent, less hostile, highly well executed, approached with a bit of humor, less depressing and more frivolous. Stimulate the eyes with bright and vivid colors. They should give you the feeling that you're walking through a candy store, where everything smells and tastes sweet. They should satisfy you, the way images from the internet satisfy me.
From a philosophical and esthetical viewpoint, you could consider my artworks as “Queer Style”, in which the unbearable present sends queer people on a journey through time, seeking resources in the past to imagine a more liveable future.
Education
2011 – 2013 | Bachelor of Art Education | ArtEZ University of the Arts | Zwolle, The Netherlands
2002 – 2005 | Bachelor of Fine Art | ArtEZ University of the Arts | Zwolle, The Netherlands
1998 – 2001 | Architecture | University of the Arts Constantijn Huygens | Kampen, The Netherlands
Exhibitions
2022 | Present Tense | Hubei and Guizhou Artists | Guizhou Art Museum | Guiyang, China
2021 | Seven | BIGGER Art Book Festival | Guangzhou, China
2021 | Guangzhou International Public Art Fair | Guangzhou, China
2021 | Motion | LIKE SPACE | Guiyang, China
2021 | Freed From Desire | Y Space | Guangzhou, China
2021 | To Pieces | Macro Pixel Gallery | Guiyang, China
2015 | Summer Expo Furious | ArtWorlds and Kunstmuseum Den Haag | The Hague, The Netherlands
https://villanextdoor.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/zomerexpo-2015-summer-exhibition-2015-gemeentemuseum-the-hague/
2009 | Art Night 2009 | bART and Gallery Majke Hüsstege | ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
2008 | 5 Years bART | bART, DMT-loods | ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
2008 | Nobody is ever lost. | Stichting P/////AKT | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
https://www.pakt.nu/2008/niemand-is-ooit-verdwaald-collaborarion-with-k-co/
2007 | Porn Festival - About erotics in art | Kleine Koppel 31 | Amersfoort, The Netherlands
2007 | W139/Basement | Post CS Gebouw etage -1 | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2006 | New Inheritors 1 | bART, Bank van Leening | s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
2006 | No Title | Café Het Bolwerk | Enschede, The Netherlands
2005 | Final Exam Exhibition | ArtEZ University of the Arts | Zwolle, The Netherlands
2003 | No Title | Theological University | Kampen, The Netherlands
2003 | No Title | Café Het Bolwerk | Enschede, The Netherlands
Articles
Feb 2022 | BranD Magazine | By Luca Yin
May 2021 | 扎嗡堆Gathering | 他在画里留住了童心与梦境 | WeChat Article
April 2021 | 雷达Radio | 贵阳青年为什么这么忙？| WeChat Article
March 2021 | 傲夫AOFU | Rick Fraterman 作品 | WeChat Article
May 2017 | Cultuur in Enschede | Kunst van Enschede | Deze week Rick Fraterman
http://www.cultuurinenschede.nl/rick-fraterman-hah/
September 2015 | Villa Next Door | Zomerexpo 2015 | By Bertus Pieters
https://villanextdoor.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/zomerexpo-2015-summer-exhibition-2015-gemeentemuseum-the-hague/
November 2011 | ArtEZ Fact Nr 3 2011 | Friends? Over vriendschap in de kunst.
https://issuu.com/artezhogeschoolvoordekunsten/docs/artezfact_en03
December 2009 | NRC Next | Herbruiksels, creatief met een wasbak. | By Marleen Luijt
February 2008 | 8Weekly | De tentoonstelling als B-film | By Maarten Steenhagen
https://8weekly.nl/recensie/kunst/diverse-kunstenaars-niemand-is-ooit-verdwaald-de-tentoonstelling-als-b-film/
April 2007 | Volkskrant | Typisch geval van softporno. | By Joost Ramaer
https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/typisch-geval-van-soft-porno~b3810a4f/
April 2007 | geenstijl.nl | Amersfoort gristenbolwerk! | By Brusselmans
https://www.geenstijl.nl/119231/amersfoort_gristenbolwerk_1/
March 2006 | Bastion Oranje | Kunstveiling bART via internet
https://www.bastionoranje.nl/index.php?pagina=nieuws&categorie=74&artikel=5675
Grant
2009 – 2010 | Start Stipend for Emerging Artists | Mondrian Fund | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
https://www.mondriaanfonds.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/FondsBKVB_jaarverslag_2009.pdf
Contest
2015 | Rijksstudio Award Top 75 | Rijksmuseum | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/rijksstudio/199652--entries-rijksstudio-award-2015-top-75/creations/24e1e0e2-654f-4366-87c6-8bf251b892a4
Rick Fraterman, born in 1980 in Enschede the Netherlands is currently living in Guiyang, China with his boyfriend and their four cats.
About my work
”The human condition is defined as the positive or negative aspects of being human, such as birth, growth, reproduction, love, and death. The word ‘condition’ makes it sound like a disease that we are all born with, or some curse that is the fate of all humanity, but it seems the human condition is simply based on time - the time we have on this planet and how we as humans live out that time. What we do in between the inevitable birth and death defines us, and there in the middle, we find the making of stories that will be carried on for generations to come. “ 【source: Wikipedia】
I visualise my own personal stories with colorful figurative paintings, detailed architectural models, small objects and occasionally a drawing.
The internet is the source for my inspiration, my unordered archive. I can endlessly scroll on the internet, gather images that satisfy me and would do well for a painting. After choosing an image I simply start painting without any goal. Short-term satisfaction. I am not so much interested in skilful painting or showing off a technical skill. All that matters is line, color, shape, texture and other perceptual aspects. To try and visualize the thought I had when I first saw the image. Content and meaning of the painting just happens along the way. As well as the loss of the original idea. The painting process is like a magician hat, you never really know what comes out of it.
When it comes to my style of work, it is mainly a visual result of made choices. My artworks are filled with contemporary pop-culture references, allusions to art history, movies, magazines, music, literature, images from different social media platforms. Additional items and objects are added into the work to create a more layered and diffused narrative.
I like viewers to recognize, enjoy what they see and confront them with a world where things are transformed and placed in another context. I have this eager need to make things look better, nicer, more innocent, less hostile, highly well executed, approached with a bit of humor, less depressing and more frivolous. Stimulate the eyes with bright and vivid colors. They should give you the feeling that you're walking through a candy store, where everything smells and tastes sweet. They should satisfy you, the way images from the internet satisfy me.
From a philosophical and esthetical viewpoint, you could consider my artworks as “Queer Style”, in which the unbearable present sends queer people on a journey through time, seeking resources in the past to imagine a more liveable future.
Education
2011 – 2013 | Bachelor of Art Education | ArtEZ University of the Arts | Zwolle, The Netherlands
2002 – 2005 | Bachelor of Fine Art | ArtEZ University of the Arts | Zwolle, The Netherlands
1998 – 2001 | Architecture | University of the Arts Constantijn Huygens | Kampen, The Netherlands
Exhibitions
2022 | Present Tense | Hubei and Guizhou Artists | Guizhou Art Museum | Guiyang, China
2021 | Seven | BIGGER Art Book Festival | Guangzhou, China
2021 | Guangzhou International Public Art Fair | Guangzhou, China
2021 | Motion | LIKE SPACE | Guiyang, China
2021 | Freed From Desire | Y Space | Guangzhou, China
2021 | To Pieces | Macro Pixel Gallery | Guiyang, China
2015 | Summer Expo Furious | ArtWorlds and Kunstmuseum Den Haag | The Hague, The Netherlands
https://villanextdoor.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/zomerexpo-2015-summer-exhibition-2015-gemeentemuseum-the-hague/
2009 | Art Night 2009 | bART and Gallery Majke Hüsstege | ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
2008 | 5 Years bART | bART, DMT-loods | ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
2008 | Nobody is ever lost. | Stichting P/////AKT | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
https://www.pakt.nu/2008/niemand-is-ooit-verdwaald-collaborarion-with-k-co/
2007 | Porn Festival - About erotics in art | Kleine Koppel 31 | Amersfoort, The Netherlands
2007 | W139/Basement | Post CS Gebouw etage -1 | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2006 | New Inheritors 1 | bART, Bank van Leening | s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
2006 | No Title | Café Het Bolwerk | Enschede, The Netherlands
2005 | Final Exam Exhibition | ArtEZ University of the Arts | Zwolle, The Netherlands
2003 | No Title | Theological University | Kampen, The Netherlands
2003 | No Title | Café Het Bolwerk | Enschede, The Netherlands
Articles
Feb 2022 | BranD Magazine | By Luca Yin
May 2021 | 扎嗡堆Gathering | 他在画里留住了童心与梦境 | WeChat Article
April 2021 | 雷达Radio | 贵阳青年为什么这么忙？| WeChat Article
March 2021 | 傲夫AOFU | Rick Fraterman 作品 | WeChat Article
May 2017 | Cultuur in Enschede | Kunst van Enschede | Deze week Rick Fraterman
http://www.cultuurinenschede.nl/rick-fraterman-hah/
September 2015 | Villa Next Door | Zomerexpo 2015 | By Bertus Pieters
https://villanextdoor.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/zomerexpo-2015-summer-exhibition-2015-gemeentemuseum-the-hague/
November 2011 | ArtEZ Fact Nr 3 2011 | Friends? Over vriendschap in de kunst.
https://issuu.com/artezhogeschoolvoordekunsten/docs/artezfact_en03
December 2009 | NRC Next | Herbruiksels, creatief met een wasbak. | By Marleen Luijt
February 2008 | 8Weekly | De tentoonstelling als B-film | By Maarten Steenhagen
https://8weekly.nl/recensie/kunst/diverse-kunstenaars-niemand-is-ooit-verdwaald-de-tentoonstelling-als-b-film/
April 2007 | Volkskrant | Typisch geval van softporno. | By Joost Ramaer
https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/typisch-geval-van-soft-porno~b3810a4f/
April 2007 | geenstijl.nl | Amersfoort gristenbolwerk! | By Brusselmans
https://www.geenstijl.nl/119231/amersfoort_gristenbolwerk_1/
March 2006 | Bastion Oranje | Kunstveiling bART via internet
https://www.bastionoranje.nl/index.php?pagina=nieuws&categorie=74&artikel=5675
Grant
2009 – 2010 | Start Stipend for Emerging Artists | Mondrian Fund | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
https://www.mondriaanfonds.nl/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/FondsBKVB_jaarverslag_2009.pdf
Contest
2015 | Rijksstudio Award Top 75 | Rijksmuseum | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/rijksstudio/199652--entries-rijksstudio-award-2015-top-75/creations/24e1e0e2-654f-4366-87c6-8bf251b892a4