OLD FRIENDS by Willem Hoeffnagel
WOAW Gallery | Hong Kong
WOAW Gallery Presents OLD FRIENDS by Willem Hoeffnagel
Curated by Pablo Villazán
through October 24, 2022
5 Sun Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
WOAW Gallery is pleased to present ‘Old Friends’ a solo exhibition by Dutch painter Willem Hoeffnagel. This series of new works incorporate nostalgic references to his childhood memories of automobiles through fragmented scenes and uniquely stylized faceless figures. The exhibition is on view from September 9 – October 24, on 5 Sun Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Born in Arnhem, Netherlands, 1995. Willem Jacques Hoeffnagel has been illustrating since a young age. While training to be a professional illustrator, Hoeffnagel was developing his style in painting and experimented with a vast range of painting techniques and ideas. Later realizing illustration was not the only practice he was drawn to, he then began to focus more on painting. The anthropomorphic figures featured in Hoeffnagel's paintings have been near and dear to him for over a decade, the ambiguous figures can be contemplated freely as a metaphor for the artist, or another human being, as they serve as a link between the scene and fragmented narrative.
In ‘Old Friends’, a series of paintings inspired by his childhood memories involving automobiles and motor racing. Hoeffnagel painted Drive It Like You Stole It to commemorate his family's stolen car, a Fiat 500c, the car he used to drive his 90-year-old grandmother in, who continues to enjoy the rides despite her age. Like many of Hoeffnagel's previous works, the oeuvre in ‘Old Friends’ resonates with its viewers in a similar manner - “I think even the people who wouldn’t say they have an interest in cars could be reminded of something they’d look back on fondly.” Allowing viewers to reminisce on their own childhood memories and nostalgia with old friends.
About Willem Hoeffnagel
Willem Hoeffnagel is a painter from the Netherlands. Born in Arnhem, he has always been interested in drawing and painting from an early age. After leaving a bachelor in entrepreneurship in Amsterdam, Willem enrolled in ArtEZ Zwolle to study illustration design. During that time he focused on his personal style while also experimenting with new techniques and ideas.
However, Illustration didn’t end up being his strong point and he left in year 3 out of 4 but working on his art everyday helped with developing as an artist in general. Soon after that he started to work on his painting full time, to grow in the medium he loves the most.
The recognisable figures that feature in Willem’s work have been close to him for more than a decade. Using the figures as a place holder for a person, whether himself or someone else, it allows him to portray a scene or part of a small story to the viewer without putting too much attention to who it’s meant to be.
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