In the paintings of Niels Smits van Burgst (Maassluis, 1970), the days of permanent leisure time have arrived. With a lively brushstroke, the painter sketches images of pleasure without obligations. Smits van Burgst is particularly known for his paintings depicting indulgent gatherings with languid youths in hotels and living rooms, hedonistic selfies, and self-representation at moments of experienced fun. We see the crowd that lingers at exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and sports events, or finds itself at some dance party. In more recent work, the fluorescent and flash lighting has been replaced by direct sunlight. The painter takes us outside: into the mountains, to a swimming lake, or a campsite. We go on vacation again with strangers and become part of commuters on their way to their destination. In the paintings, you can feel the tension for what is to come, but the figures seem unable to free themselves from their current situation. The characters dissolve into their surroundings while the situation itself becomes of secondary importance. We see the painter searching.
Since graduating from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague (1993), his paintings have been exhibited in London, New York, Berlin, Antwerp, at various art fairs, and in many Dutch galleries and museums.
Since graduating from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague (1993), his paintings have been exhibited in London, New York, Berlin, Antwerp, at various art fairs, and in many Dutch galleries and museums.
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