Gerben Mulder explores flowers, human figures, and animals as starting points for his dreamlike paintings filled with erotic energy. In fragmentary scenes or still lifes, the brooding ambiance of his paintings responds to the viewer’s observation with echoes of hallucination. Oscillating between adult faces and children’s bodies, his ever-changing characters tread a fine line between innocence and perversity. Mulder employs somber color palettes and turbulent gestures to portray menacing beings. Despite the lugubrious tenor of his images, the artist treats his somewhat pathetic and out-of-place creatures with a sarcastic sense of humor, as evidenced by the crooked smiles and ironic titles in many of his paintings.
Tiago Mesquita, 2024
Mulder has exhibited throughout the world in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including The 1st Liverpool Biennial UK, Kunstverein Cologne Germany, Boston University Gallery USA, Kunsthal Kade and the Museum of Contemporary art in Tucson USA (MOCA Tucson). His Sao Paulo based gallery Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel has been presenting him over the years at main art fairs like Art Basel, Art Basel Miami, The Armory show and at Frieze
(London & New York). His works are in public and private collections in the USA, Europe, South America and Asia particular the collection of Sig Bergamin (Brazil) MOCA Tucson (USA), collection of Tanya Bonakdar (Galerie Tanya Bonakdar, USA), collection of Rachel Lehmann (Galerie Lehmann Maupin, United States), collection of Masashi Shiobara (Japan), Gerben Mulder – Iberê Camargo (Fortes D’aloia & Gabriel), Donkey Had Enough, A retrospective, NONADA – Fortes D’aloia & Gabriel Rio de Jáneiro, Brasil.