Robin van Leijsen

Robin is a maker, born and raised in the Dutch countryside, creating works inspired by the details they see in daily life. These details get processed into works made from wood, fabric, ceramics, paintings, collages, drawings and video edits, the more materials and techniques the better. Robin always tries to be playful when working, this translates to what the spectator sees in the finished work. The work is realistic, people can recognize what it is, but have a touch of weirdness and surrealism in it. This distortion of everyday life, together with the down-to-earth attitude they got from growing up in the countryside, combines in a visually attractive and playful work, with a body of ‘recognizable’ everyday happening & feelings.

Robin started their studies at WdKA by making paintings, which was something that could be easily continued during the pandemic. They sent some works into open calls, which landed them in an exhibition. This led to a huge opportunity: an appearance on the Dutch television program Sterren op het Doek in April 2021. This gave Robin’s painting work a wider audience and they got portrait commissions from many people. Also from this, they got scouted by a modelling agency, through which they were able to travel to amazing cities like London and Paris, expand their network and learn about the fashion industry.

Now graduated from Willem de Kooning Academy, Robin doesn’t see themselves as a painter, but as a multimedium artist. In their past two big works ‘Het Middagmaal’ and ‘Draag Droeg Gedragen’, the artist has created installations with a video work, a painting, and a 3D work. Playfulness is a central part of the making process of these works, developing the concept and creating works walk together at the same pace, instead of one before the other.