About

Wilhelmusvlug is a contemporary artist whose main focus for the last 15 years has been on monumental light art and video art installations.

During his first year of study at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy of Modern Art in Amsterdam, he formed the notorious art duo “The Art Brothers” with his class mate Peter Hertogh. Together they created a universe of their own and got instant recognition with their strange and wonderful theatrical performances.

While still at art school, they were asked to create performances in the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, on TV & radio shows, and performed in concert halls like Paradiso Amsterdam. After 10 years they split up as a duo and Wilhelmusvlug’s work changed from performance to painting and design for theatre, clubs, and festivals.

His work has been commissioned by the Amsterdam Light Festival, Manifesto, the Kit Kat Club Berlin, the Gay Pride, Wasteland, Amsterdam Fashion Week, Schiphol International Airport, the city of Amsterdam, and Juliana International Airport, among others.

Wilhelmusvlug lives and works in the countryside just north of Amsterdam.

Artist Statement

I was raised as a city-kid in the countryside and matured as a country boy in Amsterdam. These opposite worlds have always been a part of me. They shaped my inner world, a place where nature represents daytime and my conscious mind, and the big city represents night-life and my subconscious.

My monumental light-art installations emerge from my conscious mind. They embody my concerns about the world of today. Because they are mostly temporary works that can be seen during a festival, they are suitable for addressing our modern society’s problems such as Global Warming, Fake News and Social Media.

The often bizarre scenes in my video-installations emerge from my subconscious. They are surrealistic dreamscapes in which I play with gender, sexuality, stereotypes, subcultures & taboos. Inspired by the cinemascope films from my childhood, I create large horizontal canvasses that I fill with strange people, animals, vehicles, and mythical creatures.

Every canvas can be viewed as a digital Tableaux Vivant. Now and then, I merge some of these digital canvasses to create a short non-narrative film. The lack of a clear story stimulates viewers to develop their own narrative for the films.

Publications & Interviews

2023 – Wings – artist feature

2022 – Neon Eon – interview

2018 – de Grote Nederlandse Kunstkalender

2016 – catalogue Amsterdam Light Festival

2015 – Metro

2014 – Weird Guide

2013 – Metro

2013 – X marks the Spot

2013 – brochure Amsterdam Light Festival

2007 – Streets, New Straits Times (Malaysia)

2005 – Parool

2005 – Veronica magazine

2003 – Jordaankrant

2002 – catalogue Open Ateliers Jordaan

2002 – Jordaankrant

1991 – Parool

1990 – Foto magazine

1989 – Caos, (Glossy Magazine, Brazil)

1987 – catalogue Bloemen van het Kwaad, Doornroosje Nijmegen

1986 – interview in Jonge Helden – VPRO tv

1986 – interview by Ivo Weijel – Parool 

1984 – interview by Moniek Toebosch – Bitte mein Schrei, Radio 5

1984 – interview by Margreet Dolman – radio Stad

Group Exhibitions

2022 / 2023 – Amsterdam Light Festival

2022 – Het Portret Voorbij / Portretten uit het Archief – Museum de Domijnen, Sittard

2021 – Le Guess Who? – TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht

2020 – 1,5 meter – Sound Light Color Atelier, Amsterdam

2019 / 2020 – Amsterdam Light Festival

2019 – Pride – Google Head Office, Amsterdam

2016 / 2017 – Amsterdam Light Festival

2014 / 2015 – Amsterdam Light Festival

2013 – Frankendael, Amsterdam

2013 – 25 Years Nieuw & Meer

2012 / 2013 – Amsterdam Light Festival

2011 – Hogashi No Jounetsu – Go Gallery, Amsterdam

2010 – Smakelijk Eten – Westfries Museum, Hoorn

2008 – Fetish Evolution – Essen, Germany

2004 – Cambio Constante – Zaragoza, Spain

2004 – Juliana – Donkersloot galery- Amsterdam

2003 – Egocentrika – WM galery – Amsterdam

2000 – Open Ateliers Jordaan, Amsterdam

2000 – Kunst Rai, Amsterdam

1989 – Still Live Action – Atelier Lieve Prins, Amsterdam

1986 – Kunstdag, Delft

1986 – Lente – museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam

1982 – Art Book, Amsterdam

Solo Exhibitions

2008 – Masked, SeOne, London UK

2008 – Masked, Moulin Rouge, Paris France