Showrooms

Shanghai

Creator: Wessel Huisman
Offered by: Peter van Os Antiques & Fine Art

Description
Wessel Huisman’s painting of the Bund in Shanghai captures a unique blend of historical and modern elements, reflecting the dynamic nature of the city. The atmosphere is vibrant yet contemplative, characterized by a mix of bright and muted tones that highlight the contrast between the old and new architecture.

Realism and abstraction

The style is semi-abstract, with a focus on architectural forms and urban landscapes. Huisman uses a combination of defined lines and more fluid, gestural strokes to create a sense of movement and depth. The painting features detailed depictions of buildings along the Bund, with some structures clearly outlined while others are more abstract and fragmented. This approach creates an interplay between realism and abstraction, inviting viewers to explore the layers and textures of the cityscape.

Light and shadow

The use of light and shadow is particularly notable, adding to the painting’s atmospheric quality. The composition includes vertical and horizontal lines that emphasize the architectural elements, while the color palette ranges from bright whites and blues to deeper greys and blacks, suggesting both the bustling activity and the historical depth of the Bund.

WESSEL HUISMAN (Netherlands, 1954)

Artist's statement: "Painting in the light of reality".

Whilst going to the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Arnhem in 1979, Wessel Huisman studied history at the Radboud University in Nijmegen. In 1981 he graduated with honors in social and economic history.

Immediately after he graduated at the Academy in Arnhem in 1984, Wessel Huisman became Managing Director of the same institute. From then onwards he has had numerous exhibitions throughout Europe, especially in The Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. His work has also been exhibited in Asia - Japan, Vietnam and South Korea. Since 2006 he has worked full-time as a visual artist and photographer.
Wessel Huisman specialized in philosophy, philology and empiric sociology. Although he has never worked as a scientist his artistic oeuvre reveals an intriguing and unique interest in the past. Thinking in terms of time episodes and historical development - a kind of ‘mind traveling in time’- he has decisively determined his orientation not only on the past but also with the present. His artistic activities brought him to the realization that his scientific interest and the fascination for his own past spring from the same source.

Light

Wessel Huisman paints light. As a starting point he often utilizes old black and white photographs. He is not interested in the nostalgic images as such but is fascinated by the working of memories and how they affect the way one experiences the present.
During the last twenty years he has noticed that the light captured in these photographs and in his paintings offer him an opportunity to travel through time. He calls attention to what images and memories people carry with them. He then releases them and lets them slip into the present.

Colors

Huisman´s way of working shows the specific interplay between the figurative elements and the material expression within his paintings. Over a period of time he has reduced the number of colors into black and white, in fact a countless number of more or less transparent shades of grey applied to the canvas layer after layer.
However, nowadays on several paintings, Huisman tends to apply more and more modest colors.

Italy

Very recent (early 2024) the artist moved to Italy. Fascinated by Roman history, his paintings in the past years are influenced by the Italian architecture. Wessel decided to live and work in this inspiring environment.

Numerous Exhibitions since 1985:

Coming exhibition 2025
The Netherlands, Amersfoort, Museum Flehite

Latest exhibition 2024 April 4th-May 26th
Italy, Rome, Museo del Foro Romano

Past exhibitions:

Shanghai, Hong Kong
Miami, New York, Canada
Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands

More Information

Documentation:	Signed
Notes:	Signed in verso
Origin:	Netherlands
Period:	2000-2021
Materials:	Acrylic on canvas
Condition:	New.
Creation Date:	2016
Styles / Movements:	Abstract Expressionism, Modernism, Realism
Dealer Reference #:	23951
Incollect Reference #:	741884