The Artistic Vision of Koos ten Kate
Koos ten Kate, born in 1958 in Groningen, Netherlands, creates paintings that transform ordinary subjects into extraordinary moments of contemplation. Ten Kate's work freezes brief instances in time, investing significant effort to make visible mere fractions of a second that, once captured on panel, can last for eternity.
The artist's paintings emerge from imagination and visual memory, sometimes using newspaper and magazine photos not for direct reproduction but to extract forms and anatomical proportions-understanding how an eye, nose, ear, or hand is constructed and where shadows fall.
The Creative Process of Koos ten Kate
Ten Kate's artistic process begins organically on the panel, with the painting often finding its own direction after the first brushstrokes. Some works complete themselves as if they already existed, while others require endless work-removing, sanding, and adding elements. Sometimes setting a panel aside for months leads to fresh insights when revisited.
The style remains figurative yet independent from reality, with human and animal figures portrayed as imperfect, perhaps reflecting reality since no one is perfect. The work aims to evoke humor, emotion, and surprise while stimulating the viewer's imagination.
Exhibition History and Recognition
With formal training from the Pedagogical Academy in Groningen, a drawing qualification, and studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague completed in 2000, Ten Kate has exhibited extensively throughout the Netherlands and internationally. Notable exhibitions include the Dutch Portrait Prize at Slot Zeist (2021), Museum More in Ruurlo (2022), and numerous galleries across Europe.
The artist has been a working member of the Arti-Shock artists' association in Rijswijk since 2010, serving on its board from 2010 to 2016, and has been nominated for the Arti-Shock prize in both 2008 and 2020.