Paul Drissen, Déjà Vu: 7 October – 11 November 2023

On saturday October 7, the solo exhibition Déjà Vu by Paul Drissen opens with new work. His solo, entitled Short Cuts, is currently also running in the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo, and an artist's book with the same title has been published in collaboration with Irma Boom. A number of new paintings and collages by Drissen will be on display in the gallery.

In the exhibition the Kröller-Müller Museum describes the oeuvre of Paul Drissen (Oirsbeek, 1963) as a nostalgic desire to be part of the abstract tradition from Henri Matisse to Lygia Clark. In paintings of casein and pigment, spatial paper collages and cuttings, he brings well-known forms from historical abstraction to the present. ‘I am looking for a role for myself in a tradition that is full of utopian thinking that is now unimaginable,’ says Drissen. 'I want to bring that naive, but also hopeful ambition back to the surface, not as a message but emotionally, as a sentiment.'

To evoke that subcutaneous feeling, the artist improvises and explicitly allows chance. Drissen is not a purist, with him many things can pass for painting, such as printed pieces of fabric, an assembly of wooden slats or an archive box with scraps of paper. The informal or 'sloppy' is a key theme in his work. Everything, even the smallest detail, is equally important; careless splashes of paint, carelessly forgotten corners or a loose hanging crooked thread. Drissen assumes that a work is not 'made' but reveals itself during a largely unconscious and irrational work process.

Drissen lives and works in Maastricht. After studying at Ateliers 63 in Haarlem, now De Ateliers in Amsterdam, he exhibited three times at art & project in Rotterdam and Slootdorp between 1991 and 1997 and at Greta Meert in Brussels (1996). In the same year he had a solo with paintings and drawings in the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht and in 2005 his first museum overview in the Stadsgalerij Heerlen, now Schunck, under the title Melodernia, with a catalog of the same name published. His solo exhibition Short Cuts is currently running at the Kröller-Müller Museum until January 14, 2024.

His work is included in important public collections such as the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Kunstmuseum The Hague, Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht, Schunck Heerlen, Kröller Müller Museum, Otterlo, as well as art collections of DSM, NOG and ABN AMRO. Since 1999, Drissen has exhibited regularly at Slewe Gallery in Amsterdam.

Meanwhile...: 29 May – 22 August 2020

Slewe Gallery is pleased to announce the (re)opening of the gallery after more than two months of temporarily closure with a group exhibition of new works, made during the recent lockdown by some locally based artists.

Please note that during the summer months of July and August the gallery will be only open by appoitment.

Artists who participate in Meanwhile... are Adam Colton, Alice Schorbach, Jan van Munster, Joris Geurts, Krijn de Koning, Lon Pennock, Michael Jacklin, Paul Drissen, Roos Theuws, Ruud Kuijer, Steven Aalders.

The exhibition, entitled Meanwhile ..., was on view from May 29 to June 27 and will now be extended until August 22. During the summer months of July and August the gallery will be open only by appointment.

The gallery is open according to the regulations of the RIVM. The gallery will allow a limited number of visitors at a time. However, the gallery offers enough space to keep a safe distance.

The next exhibition with new works by Martin Gerwers (*1963, DE) will open on September 4.

Paul Drissen, The Present, Present, Present: 23 November – 22 December 2018

Slewe Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the exhibition THE PRESENT, PRESENT, PRESENT by Paul Drissen. He shows recent works, he made between 2014 and 2018. The present, the actual moment, is difficult to catch in painting, since each aspect of the medium always reflects the past. The exhibition opens Friday November 23 during Amsterdam Art Weekend (22-25 November) and will run through December 22. You can listen to an interview (in Dutch) with Paul Drissen by Robert van Altena on his work on line, here.

Paul Drissen makes colourful paintings with casein tempera on canvas. He uses elements from the modernist tradition in an almost nostalgic way. Therefore, he used to call his paintings Ghostpaintings. His newest works are more collages than classic paintings. Cut-out and folded colour paper and found cloth are playfully pinpointed as ‘moments’ in a cardboard archival box. A composition trying to find a way out of the past.

Drissen, born in 1963 in Oirsbeek (NL), lives and works in Maastricht. After his study at the Ateliers 63 in Haarlem he started exhibiting at Art & Project Gallery. He had museum solo shows at the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht, the Gemeentemuseum The Hague, and at the Stadsgalerij Heerlen in 2005, on which occasion a catalogue was published entitled Melodernia. His work has been collected by several important private and public collections such as the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht, Gemeentemuseum The Hague and Stadsgalerij Heerlen. 

Innes, Walsh, Davenport, Drissen, Aalders: Works on Paper: 5 November – 17 December 2016

From November 5 until December 17 Slewe Gallery will host the exhibition Works on Paper: Callum Innes, Dan Walsh, Ian Davenport, Paul Drissen, Steven Aalders. All five artists are from the same generation and internationally known as painters, having built up an abstract vocabulary each in their own way. The exhibition will also be on view during Amsterdam Art Weekend from November 24 until 27.

Washing away paint and exposing the ground is characterisitic for the painting process by Scottish artist Callum Innes (*1962). Exhibiting at Slewe Gallery in the late nineties he has currently a solo show at Museum De Pont in Tilburg from October 15 until February 26, 2017. His main gallery is Frith Street Gallery in London.

American artist Dan Walsh (*1960) is known for his playful minimal abstract paintings, in which he explores ‘process generated images’. Having Paula Cooper Gallery as his main gallery in New York, he showed regularly at Slewe Gallery. In Spring 2019 he will have a solo exhibition at the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht.

London based artist Ian Davenport (*1966) is like Innes one of the most important abstract painters of his generation in Britain. With his technique of pouring paint he has reached a refined surface and imagery. Very thin lines and subtle colors are a result of his highly controlling hand and esthetic eye. Since the start of his career he is represented by Waddington Custot in London.

Paul Drissen (*1963), who lives and works in Maastricht, makes paintings with a collage technique and with casein tempera on canvas. He uses elements from the modernist tradition in an almost nostalgic way. His works has been collected by Bonnefantenmusuem Gemeentemuseum The Hague and Stedeijk Museum Amsterdam a.o.

The geometric abstract painting by Steven Aalders (*1959) are traditionally made with oil paint on linen, in which the heritage of modernism of Mondrian and the American Minimal Art has been processed. His work had been included in the by Rudi Fuch curated show Excitement in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam last Summer.

The exhibition will also be on view during Amsterdam Art Weekend from Novemer 24 until 27. For more information please visit www.amsterdamart.nl

Paul Drissen, Studioprojects: 7 September – 12 October 2013

Slewe Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the exhibition Studioprojects by Paul Drissen. He will show about seven large new paintings. The exhibition opens Saturday September 7 and will run through October 12.

Paul Drissen makes paintings with casein tempera on canvas. He uses elements from the modernist tradition in an almost nostalgic way. Thereforoccase he used to call his paintings earlier Ghostpaintings. His newest series, entitled Studioprojects, are more collages than classic paintings. Found cotton cloth and cut out images from magazines or catalogs are playfully used as carrier for his paintings. Traces of corrections, some broken lines and forms recall modernist painting as a nostalgic desire.

Drissen, born in 1963 in Oirsbeek (NL), lives and works in Maastricht. After his study at the Ateliers 63 in Haarlem he started exhibiting at Art & Project Gallery. He had museum solo shows at the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht, the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and at the Stadsgalerij Heerlen in 2005, on which occasion a catalog has been published entitled Melodernia. His work has been collected by several important private and public collecions such as the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and Stadsgalerij Heerlen.

Paul Drissen: 9 October – 6 November 2010

Slewe Gallery is pleased to announce the exhibition with new works by the Dutch artist Paul Drissen (*1963) from October 9 to November 6, 2010.

Drissen makes paintings with casein tempera on canvas. He uses elements from the modernist tradition in an almost nostalgic way. One of his latest series of works he called therefore Schöner Malen. Actually they look more like collages than classic paintings. From magazines cut out images of modernist icons are placed as an compositional element on the painting of found cotton cloth with a modern grid pattern. Traces of painted corrections, some broken lines and forms recall modernist painting as a nostalgic desire.

Drissen, born in 1963 in Oirsbeek (NL), lives and works in Maastricht. After his study at the Ateliers 63 in Haarlem he started exhibiting at Art & Project Gallery. He had museum solo shows at the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht, the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and at the Stadsgalerij Heerlen in 2004, on which occasion a catalog has been published entitled Melodernia. His work has been collected by sevetal private and public collecions such as the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and Stadsgalerij Heerlen.

Paul Drissen, Ghostpainting: 19 May – 16 June 2007

Slewe Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of the exhibition Ghostpainting by Dutch artist Paul Drissen. The opening will be Saturday May 19. The exhibition will run until June 16, 2007.

Drissen makes paintings with casein tempera on canvas. He uses elements from the modernist tradition in an almost nostalgic way. He called his new series of paintings therefore Ghostpaintings. Actually they look more like collages than classic paintings. Sometimes found cotton cloth or pure wooden lath stretchers are used as carrier for his images. Traces of corrections, some broken lines and forms recall modernist painting as a nostalgic desire.

Drissen, born in 1963 in Oirsbeek (NL), lives and works in Maastricht. After his study at the Ateliers 63 in Haarlem he started exhibiting at Art & Project Gallery. He had museum solo shows at the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht, the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and at the Stadsgalerij Heerlen in 2004, on which occasion a catalog has been published entitled Melodernia. His work has been collected by several important private and public collecions such as the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and Stadsgalerij Heerlen.

Paul Drissen, In Utopia: 10 April – 15 May 2004

Paul Drissen, Krijn De Koning: 16 February – 23 March 2002

Paul Drissen: 28 August – 3 October 1999

From August 28 until October 3, 1999, Slewe Gallery will exhibit new paintings by Dutch artist Paul Drissen (*1963), on which occasion a small catalog will be published, designed by Irma Boom.

Watercolour: 22 November – 20 December 1997

From November 22 until December 20, 1997, Slewe Gallery will host an exhibition on watercolours. Artists including are David Austen, Frank Van den Broeck, Paul Drissen, Joris Geurts, Callum Innes, Gabriëlle van de Laak, Kees Smits and Jerry Zeniuk.