Ton Leenarts

Like a modern day Paul Gauguin,Ton Leenarts has traveled the world seeking inspiration for his work, to be impressed by colours, exotic cultures and people. It was a 'Poppy world out there, he discovered and painted.His current work once again features full-length portraits, bringing back to life a technique he created when he was interested in Egyptian (Pharonic) art, in which he used full length portraits as a juxtaposition to the old elements he borrowed from the Pharaohs, or at least their artists. What he learned then and still fascinates him, is that while their colours are so splendid and enduring, the Egyptians didn't use, or didn't know perspective. It is a device he still uses today. Flattened space. Later, Ton turned his attention to India where he fell under the spell of Moghul miniature paintings and created a synthesis of his own style and the typical Moghul miniature features, like jeweled colours and the way all natural detail is filtered by artifice. And now, after all the traveling, absorbing cultures and influences he has come to the point where Paul actually meets Andy - Gauguin and Warhol, that is - where the dreamy paradisical images meet the hard edge pop images. Where all the ethnic imagery and devices coagu...

Hogeschool voor beeldende kunsten,Utrecht Rietveld academie, Amsterdam.Exhibitions (selected):Stedelijk Museum, AmsterdamHistorisch Museum, AmsterdamA.R.C.O (Galeria Carlos Lozano) MadridStedelijk Museum, Zwolle, The Netherlands Galeria Helena Ramos, Barcelona Musee de L'art Moderne, Lige, Belgium Sonsbeek, Arnhem, The NetherlandsAllard Pierson Museum, AmsterdamArti en Amicitae, AmsterdamGalley Torch, Amsterdam.Sonsbeek Arnhem, The NetherlandModerne Kunst Dietmar Werle, Cologne, GermanyStadtmuseum Cologne, GermanyVilla in Parque del fiori, Positano, Italy.Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam.Tropenmuseum, AmsterdamGallery Klaudia Marr, Santa Fe, U.S.ACollections:Stedelijk Museum. AmsterdamAmsterdams Historisch MuseumTropenmuseum AmsterdamCollectie gemeente AmsterdamVrije Universiteit AmsterdamA.M.C. (collectie Brummelkamp) AmsterdamPeter Stuyvezand collectie RotterdamMobil oil collectie RotterdamMobil oil collection New YorkJulian and Jean Levi Collection. ConnecticutJan des Bouvries, Naarden, The NetherlandsDietmar Werle, Cologne, Germany,