21 june 2024, Flor Linckens
In Memoriam: the subjective world of Robbert Fortgens
Until 25 August, MPV Gallery in Oisterwijk is hosting a solo exhibition by Robbert Fortgens, who passed away on June 14 after an illness, just five days after the opening of the exhibition. In the show titled 'Inner Strength', the artist presented his latest series of works created over the past year.
In an interview with the Brabants Dagblad newspaper, gallery owner Mart Peet Visser spoke fondly of the artist: "He was a kind person. That kindness did not necessarily have to be visible in his work, but it did play a role in these pieces. He translated his character into them. They gained a different expressive power, a different emotional charge. I had the honour of bidding him farewell in a speech [during the opening] in front of a hundred attendees. Fortunately, I managed to find the right words."
Robbert Fortgens was born on 16 December 1960 in Utrecht and studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. Initially, the artist created realistic still lifes, but in his quest for essence, he ultimately found his style in abstraction. He was inspired, among other things, by the expressive work of Willem de Kooning, which he saw at the Stedelijk Museum. Fortgens primarily worked within the painting medium but also had a special interest in photography.
Subjectivity was central to his practice: Fortgens employed an extraordinarily personal and intuitive approach, drawing inspiration from his inner world and universal themes such as fear and loss, conflict and struggle. At the same time, his works are characterised by a certain degree of letting go and self-realisation. The artist effectively shared his personal struggle with us. However, he did not try to direct the viewer too much; for instance, the works in this exhibition bear titles like "Layers (Pink)" and "Layers (Blue Sky)."
Robbert Fortgens exhibited his work in Europe and the United States. He was only 63 years old when he passed.
