Frans van Straaten (
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
, 23 January 1963) is a Dutch artist and known for his
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
sculptures. He is a
figurative art
Figurative art, sometimes written as figurativism, describes artwork (particularly paintings and sculptures) that is clearly derived from real object sources and so is, by definition, representational. The term is often in contrast to abstract a ...
ist and sculptor, who creates bronze sculptures in which he unites force and movement.
[Frans van Straaten: Een kwart eeuw in brons, 2013, ]
Life and work
In 1985 Van Straaten obtained his second-level teaching certificate in Drawing and Handicrafts. He continued his education in Rotterdam at the
Willem de Kooning Academy.
Van Straaten is intrigued by the
ancient Egyptians,
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...
and
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...
. In addition he is inspired by
modern dance but stimuli from everyday life are still his main sources. His early works had a very impressionistic feel. Gradually his work changed and nowadays his sculptures are recognized for their strong lines and movement.
Not only private collectors are interested in Van Straaten's sculptures. Also many companies and municipalities own his sculptures. Highlights in his career are the unveiling of Stier in 2000, a monumental sculpture on a roundabout in
Capelle aan den IJssel and the unveiling of Samengaan by
Princess Máxima
Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin ''princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince.
Princess as a subst ...
in 2003. Van Straaten's studio is located in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
.
Exhibitions
Frans van Straaten has exhibited in The Netherlands and abroad. A selection of exhibitions:
*
TEFAF, Maastricht, The Netherlands
* Miljonair Fair, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
* PAN Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
* Art & Antiques Fair, 's Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
* Zamalek Art Gallery, Caïro, Egypte
* Dutch Art & Business Event, Doha, Qatar
* Lineart Gent, Gent, België
* Entre Rêve et Réalité, Monte Carlo, Monaco
* Feriarte, Sevilla, Spanje
* Art Expo New York City, USA
His work has also been shown in Switzerland, Germany, France and China.
Books
* ''Frans van Straaten: Een kwart eeuw in brons'', 2013,
* ''Frans van Straaten: Kracht & Beweging 1988–1998'', 1998,
Gallery
Capelle kunstwerk stierenkracht.jpg, ''Stier'', Capelle a/d IJssel, NL
Alblasserdam kunstwerk zo hoog.jpg, ''Zo Hoog'', Alblasserdam, NL
Prima_Donna.jpg, ''Prima Donna'', Château St. Gerlach, NL
References
External links
Website Frans van Straaten
{{DEFAULTSORT:Straaten, Frans van
1963 births
Living people
Dutch sculptors
Dutch male sculptors
Artists from The Hague