Favela of Sao Paulo2 Painting

50 years ago, Ivo was adopted from Sâo Paulo, Brazil and he lives in the Netherlands ever since. With his well known Dutch surname (same as the royal family) and foreign appearance, he always sees himself as a interesting merger of two continents. His adoption itself has become a quest without answers. As a painter he's self-taught. Ivo makes abstract and colorful paintings on both large and small canvases. His work is modern, and often related to Brazil with its beautiful and colorful cities or to his hometown Rotterdam. Big cities in general and Rotterdam and Sâo Paulo in particular give him inspiration and energy. For Ivo, the fictional layout or map of a city represents where he comes from and where he is going. Painting itself is a search for the perfect composition and choosing the colours is a fun game. Drawing the maps or buildings gives him peace and tranquility. This is in contrast with the chaos and rush of the city, his city.