New solo showcase of Witty Art opens at Saturday February 8th!

(scroll below for the English version of this text):

GEEN onderdeel van Art Rotterdam, WEL zo leuk voor alle vrienden, fans en volgers van mijn Witty Art:

Graag nodig ik jullie hierbij uit voor de opening van een kleine maar fijne solo showcase van Witty Art:

‘’It’s A Wander-Ful World’’

Zaterdag 8 februari a.s. om 16.00u
Inloop vanaf 15.00 uur

Locatie is de intieme en o zo gezellige huiskamer van Het Nieuwe Westen: De Woonkamer van de Burgemeester, aan de Burgemeester Meineszstraat 102 Rotterdam.

De Woonkamer serveert een kleine borrel, er zijn wat hapjes en natuurlijk ben ik er zelf ook. En er is vooral heel veel Witty Art te zien!

Over deze expositie:
‘It’s A Wander-Ful World’ bevat werk van mijn hand uit de periode 2013 – heden: Varierend van eerder vertoond werk, zelden gezien werk en zelf gloedjenieuw werk waarvan de inkt nauwelijks nog droog is. Ok, bij wijze van spreken, dan.

De expo ‘It’s A Wander-Ful World’ kent ook een primeur: vanaf 8 februari komen er ook (digitale) Witty Art Prints in de verkoop, zowel in limited edition als on demand.

Bereikbaarheid:
De Woonkamer van de Burgemeester is makkelijk bereikbaar met tramlijnen 21, 23 en 24 halte Vierambachtsstraat: je stapt uit, steekt over, even dranklokaal De Burgemeester passeren aan je linkerhand en je wandelt rechtstreeks de Burgemeester Meineszlaan in. Links aanhouden en je komt vanzelf bij nummer 102 uit.

Ook buslijnen 38 (halte Burgemeester Meineszplein) en 44 (halte Vierambachtstraat/hoek Heemraadssingel) stoppen vlakbij.

Met dank aan de Woonkamer van de Burgemeester voor het ter beschikking stellen van de ruimte aan lokale kunstenaars zoals ikzelf en het sponsoren van de drankjes; en in het bijzonder aan Hans de Heus voor al zijn ondersteuning in deze!

(english version below this picture)

 

NO part of ART Rotterdam, BUT indeed a great opportunity for all you friend, fans and followers of Witty Art out there:

I’m happy to invite you to the opening of a small but ever so great solo showcase of my Witty Art:

‘’It’s A Wander-Ful World’’

Saturday February 8th at 16.00hrs
Doors open at 15.00hrs

Location is the quaint and cosy neighborhood living room called De Woonkamer van de Burgemeester - which literally translates into: The Mayor's Living Room, located at Burgemeester Meineszlaan 102 Rotterdam.

De Woonkamer will serve some drinks, there will be some nibbles and ofcourse, I will be around! And, ofcourse, there will be LOTS of Witty Art to be seen!

About the exhibition:
‘It’s a Wander-Ful World’ will show a selection of my work throughout the years 2013 – up till now. It’ll range from previously shown work, seldomly shown work and even brandnew drawings, the ink barely dry! Well ok, as a matter of speaking, that is.

This expo‘It’s A Wander-Ful World’ will also see the launch of digital Witty Art Prints, which will be available from Saturday February 8th (both in limited editon as well as ‘on demand’ – more details to be unveiled at the opening!)

How to get there:

All three tramlines 21, 23 and 24, stop Vierambachtsstraat. Cross the street, pass local bar De Burgemeester on your left side and you find yourself in the Burgemeester Meineszlaan. Keep walking straight ahead and you'll bump into De Woonkamer.

Both buslines 38 (stop Burgemeester Meinezsplein) and 44 (stop Vierambachtsstraat/Heemraadssingel) will get you there as well.

A major thank you to De Woonkamer van de Burgemeester for so generously opening up their livingroom to local artists such as myself and for sponsoring the drinks; especially Hans de Heus for all his support!

New Witty Art Expo opening soon at Maak-Rotterdam for Dit Is Uit De Kunst!

Another new exhibtion for Witty Art coming up soon! As of February 8th, a small showcase of my work will be on display during the next edition of Dit Is Uit de Kunst at Maak Rotterdam, a creative store and coffeecorner/lunchroom located at the Mathenesserweg here in Rotterdam-West.

Dit Is Uit De Kunst is a local initiative run by artist/illustrator Nikki Smits who organises and programmes visual artists and musicians from the Delfshaven area at Maak Rotterdam. The Dutch expression ''Dit is uit de kunst'' in Dutch means ''This is really awesome''  and the pun ofcourse lies in the literal translation of the Dutch word ''kunst'' which means ''art''.

So, for this quaint and cosy creative store, I've chosen a selection of my series ''Minor Kitchen Sink Dramas'' and also decided to create some new ones to add to it. Also, I will showcase a couple of smaller Witty Art Originals and while this selection may not be the most edgy of my artwork, as a whole I think it'll contain quite a nice sample of my talents and skills as an artist.

Expect more previews and updates soon! Also, consider yourselves invited (for those of you who are around) to join for the opening, because it's gonna fun. There will be live music as well, brought to you by the talented singer-songwriter Katía; and Maak-Rotterdam will also serve a homemade meal for only € 5,-. You can find all info on the nice poster below, designed by Nikki Smits herself. 

Witty Art has left Ani & Haakien after a well recevied one-month soloshow

 
Today was the very last day of my solo showcase at Hostel Ani & Haakien. A selection of Witty Art had been on the wall since the opening on September 15th and after just over a month, it was time to pick up my work and make way for new art selected by Pica Pica 010. 

Also, it's time to take the two 'Lost Bears' I sold during the opening, to their happy new homes, as I know their arrival is eagerly awaited for by their new owners. More of that, soon! 

I'd like to thank the following persons in particular: 
Ani & Haakien's Joyce Brouwer and Danielle Linscheer for their hospitality and kindness, as well as all other staff of absolutely the cosiest hostel in town, and naturally, a special mention for Diva Suzy La Cubanita! 
Marcel Kamphuis from Pica Pica010 for organising it all! 
Alrizki Marino for making such a spontaneous video interview
All those who came by and had a look at my artwork, including all guests of Ani & Haakien whom I had the pleasure of meeting and exchaging thoughts on art, creativity and life. 

THANK YOU ALL!

 

A spontaneous video 'shoot' resulted in a really nice video of my Witty Art opening!

So, what's even more cool about the opening of my work last night at Ani & Haakien, is that one of the hostel guests actually turned out to be one extremely talented film maker (and much more than that), Alrizki Marino, who made a very nice & neat little video of moi-myself, in front of my work. The result is really, really cool - and I am really, really pleased with it!

Another video I made for Ani & Haakien. This time, it's @mizzwitty and her exhibit here at the hostel! #Rotterdam #AmStudio

A video posted by Alrizki Marino (@rmith) on Sep 15, 2016 at 2:21pm PDT

Great opening at Ani & Haakien last night!

What a great opening it was, yesterday at Hostel Ani & Haakien. Perhaps not that busy, mainly due to the hot weather, but a perfect setting for a nice and cosy summer opening. And the people who showed up were all extremely interested in my work, which resulted some really touching conversations about my work and even two brandnew pieces sold!

Unfortunatley, due to traffic delays, one of the singer-songwriters that was scheduled to perform, could not make it, but the very talented Maria-Josephine made more than up for that. And there is nothing wrong with listening to some striking songs brought to life in a nice hostelgarden during a hot summer night.

And then there were two people who took the opportunity of getting some Witty Art of their own. First, my good friend and acclaimed 'citycreator & hospitality expert Leon Keekstra aka De Stadsbemoeial; and then one of my favourite Rotterdam theatremakers and directors, Irene Siekman both purchased a piece from the series 'Lost Bear'. And ofcourse, they had to strike a pose next their new prized possessions, soon to be handed over to them once the exhibition is over.

Some more people have expressed interest in wanting to see the exhibition, while it still on, so I hope many of you will come to visit the loveliest and funkiest Hostel in Town: Ani & Haakien, located in one of Rotterdams finest areas, The Oude Westen (just a five minute walk away from Rotterdam Central Station). The exhibition is still on until October 19th and the good news is, the hostel is open 24/7 ...

Many thanks to:
Pica Pica 010 / Marcel Kamphuis for organising it all
Hostel Ani & Haakien / Joyce Brouwer & Danielle Linscheer for their hospitality and a special thanks to Miss Suzy La Cubanita for being the most glamorous hostel kitty EVAH!
Maria Josephine for performing
Deborah van de Beld for, well, being you & all your support
My dear feline friend Lord Westenwind for getting his fur everywhere!
All of you who showed up to share this moment with me, thank you for your support & the great conversations!

More than ready for the opening of Witty Art at Hostel Ani & Haakien!

Last couple of days, I have been working pretty hard to get everything ready for the upcoming opening of my expo at Hostel Ani & Haakien. Which actually is this very night, tonight. So, you can imagine there's is quite a bit of the so-called 'infamous creative stress' involved ;-)

Anyway, so far I am really happy with how this showcase of my work turned out, especially as it offers both the more cartoonlike side of my work as well as the more surrealistic part of Witty Art.

After long deliberation, I finally opted to show a little series I never really had the opportunity of sharing during an exhibition before: ''Pin Bear Wizard'', from 2013. Featuring yet another brave little bear who has indeed been dealt some pretty bad cards by Life. He is accompanied by a somewhat sinister ''ScapeGoat-ish'' character, of which not even I am quite sure whether he is the bad guy or not. And me being me, and Witty Art being Witty Art, I like to pretty much leave that one open...

But, as you can see clearly, the style of drawing for ''Pin Bear Wizard'' is much more cartoonlike and much more colourful than the other work I selected for the exhbition. Series like ''Lost Bear' but also The Singles are much more surreal and dreamlike - though they all most definitely belong to the bizarre universe that Witty Art is made from.

All in all, I am really happy with how this selection highlights both sides of my work (and my world, for that matter). It's not that I favor one above the other, though I do like the how people sometimes have different perceptions of what Witty Art stands for. Is it cartoonart, figurative or even illustration art? Is is more autonomous, abstract even? 

Now, I am not one for labelling much, but sometimes doing so helps adding a bit of context. So, name or label it whatever you yourself feel like. Whatever feels good for you - and if you don't feel the need to name it anything at all, then that's just fine. All I am after, is that my work speaks to you and manages to strike a chord or two. That it evokes some kind of emotion. That it does not leaves you untouched. Whatever the emotion may be.

And, if does do anything for you at all, that is also fine by me. I just love for people to be honest with my work - as my work as about as brutally honest as I can get. In my work, there are no walls of social conventions to be upheld, no masks to hide behind, to pretence what so ever. It is what it is. And it is what I am. No more, no less. Just me, just Witty.

Working on the selection for my upcoming Witty Art Expo at Hostel Ani & Haakien!

Working on the selection of my upcoming exhibition at Hostel Ani & Haakien, which opens at Thursday, September 15h - which is in exactly one week from now. That means, just seven more days to determine which artworks I am going to show!

So, which will be ''The Chosen Ones''? To be honest, at this point, I have literally no idea. But the ones posted here today, are very, very likely candidates to be considered worthy of selection.

The coming days, I will post frequent updates of the selection progress on the eventpage on Facebook and, ofcourse, here on this blog as well.

Also, you can find all information on the ''where, when & what time'' on this blog too!

Both the exhibition and opening progamme are organised by Pica Pica 010, Rotterdam.

Expo opener at September 15th: Pasta, Music, Witty Art & One Cute PussyCat!

So, here's the teaser for my upcoming Witty Art solo showcase at one of Rotterdams coolest places, Hostel Ani & Haakien. The exhibition, organised by Pica Pica 010, will open at Thursday September 15 with live performances by two very talented singer-songwriters: Maria Josephine and Natalia Magdalena. Also present, Yours Truly Witty, ofcourse, but to be definitely out-glammed by the one an only diva of the evening, Ms Suzy La Cubanita! (Well, which human would be able outglam a gorgeous Maine Coon Pussycat anyway?)

So, all you music, art AND cat lovers, make sure you are present to enjoy it all, Thursday September 15th at the cosiest home-away-from-home, Hostel Ani & Haakien! You will find all the info you need to know below  the picture, which, in fact, shows some of the works I intend to be in this exhibition (then again, if you know me well, it might come as no surprise if I choose for a completey different selection all together... but there is still plenty of time to decide all that!)

Every third Thursday of the month Pica Pica presents live-music and a new exhibition on the walls at Hostel Ani & Haakien! During these nights, new Rotterdam musicians will mix with local artists. A unique evening not to be missed, so be there!

What
19:00 to 20:30 Vegan pasta dinner (€4,50)
20:30: Opening exhibition of Witty Art (including small presentation by Miss Witty herself)
21:00 to 21:30: (music)
21:45 to 22:15: (music)

Entrance: 
FREE! (except for the pasta dinner)

When?
The exhibition opens at September 15 and will run untill October 19th.
And the good news is; the hostel is open 24/7 so NO excuse for not going over there.

Where?
Hostel Ani & Haakien
Coolsestraat 47
3014 LC Rotterdam

Pica Pica
Well, Pica pica is latin for ''magpie''. The magpie is one of the most intelligent birds and is known for his passion for collecting striking glittering objects. Pica Pica Foundation aims to collect the most striking and newest places in different districts of Rotterdam and let them team up with independent artists and musicians from the city. (What's the bet a magpie of some sort will pop up in my work soon? ;-))

Hostel Ani & Haakien
Located in quiet street right in the middle of Downtown Rotterdam, this hostel is about as cosy and artsy as can be. Hostel Ani & Haakien is all about creating a sense of community and a “home away from home” on your travels. And they have got the most adorable hostelCAT ever!