Axel Saffran

I am a portrait / figurative artist based in Venlo, Netherlands, working mainly in charcoal, pastel and graphite.

Being without studio last summer, drove me to photographing trees during my walks in nature, resulting in a series of vertical landscape photographic works.

Otherwise I draw portraits and vintage scenes based on antique photographs. I also have an ongoing series of re-imagined classical/mythological 'golden oldies' that have been painted many times in art history, and I really enjoy rendering the human anatomy in a direct and succinct way on paper, resulting in a series of nudes. My main focus is on Humans.

My approach to inspirational input is that of an omnivore, feeding in 360º on both 'high' and 'low' culture. My creative output has always been similarly divers in form. (i.e. sculptures in stone/metal/wood, paintings, murals, photo-based work) Only recently I have been able to narrow things down a bit.

For about a decade, circumstances forced me to focus on one mode of expression (2D, digital), and a couple of years ago I returned full circle to the place where my creativity once sprouted...

DRAWINGS

Early 2020, I started drawing again, after not having done that for more than a decade, and not this seriousl...

"Self-taught", which is not to imply I invented every wheel on my wagon singlehandedly, or without guidance. I didn't finish my formal education at the Rotterdam art academy (now Willem de Kooning Academy) in the early 90's, leaving Europe for lengthy stays in foreign lands instead. In '96 took some practical courses, before taking my first steps as a sculptor in The Hague.

February 3 and 4, 2024, I presented my work at Art Eindhoven.

October 7 and 8, 2023, I showed work and was present in 13th century castle Daelenbroeck, in the context of Kunststroom Roerdalen-Wassenberg.

February 4 and 5, 2023, I showed work and was present at Art Eindhoven, Netherlands.

May 23 – June 05, 2022, I was invited to participate in The Other Art Fair, virtual editions, presented by Saatchi Art.

Between 2003 and 2022, I have (for personal reasons) only really exhibited my work online in various places. Before that, I've had several exhibitions in 2000 and 2001 in The Hague, showing sculptures. Pictures of those can be viewed on the 'about' page of my website.