About

BIOGRAPHY

EXPLORING WANDERER

Adriaan Rees (1957, Amsterdam) lives and works in China and Amsterdam. Rees is famous for his large-scale projects and assignments for public space. He makes sculptures and installations in many materials such as ceramics, bronze, glass, textiles, plaster and stone. He also works with photography, video

and performances.

When he works with clay, traces of his hands and the use of extreme power can easily be seen at the surface. He is approaching his sculptures almost as a landscape or a human body, sometimes in a sensual, sometimes in a brutal way. He is an artist who is not predictable, someone who always surprises with new ideas and approaches, a cosmopolitan artist.

Exploring wanderer, 2015

From 2000 Rees increasingly travelled to Asia, specifically to Japan, Korea and China. He is intensely affected by these cultures and settled in Jingdezhen, China where he works in his own studio among the thousands of craftsmen locally.

Tradition and innovation, humor and seriousness, monumentality and intimacy, vulnerable and tough, traditional and contemporary, religion and war, fantasy and reality. All this you can find in his sculptures: it is a dialogue between cultural traditions like Europe and Asia.

His work can be found in collections around the world, in museums, private collections and in public space. Rees teaches in The Netherlands, Germany, Finland, USA, Japan and China and frequently gives lectures about his own work, art and art in public space.

He also works as an art advisor and curator. Since 2008 he is the initiator and project leader for the Exchange project 400 years Delft – Jingdezhen. This project brings artists, designers, archaeologists and museums from both cities together. Famous are the Blue Revolution shows in museums in Delft (NL) and Jingdezhen and Donguan (CHN). The shows attracted more than 40.000 visitors in Delft, more than 80.000 in Jingdezhen and more than 200.000 in Donguan.

Rees was the curator of these shows.

1986-1991

2004

2009

Gerrit Rietveld Academy, sculpture department

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Tokenomori, Institute for Ceramic Studies

Shigaraki, Japan

Inax Laboratory

Tokoname, Japan

Solo Exhibitions (selection)

Museums

2019 - 2020

2011

2010

2009

- Museum Beelden aan Zee, Scheveningen, NL

- Stedelijk Museum Kampen, Kampen, NL

- Total Museum, Seoul, Korea

- Inax Life Museums, Tokoname, Japan

2005

1999

1993

- Princessehof Ceramics Museum, Leeuwarden, NL

- Inax Museum, Tokoname, Japan

- Stedelijk Museum Zwolle, Zwolle, NL

- Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem, NL

Galleries

2019

2017

2016

2015

2013

2012

2011

2010

- Heguang Gallery, Nanjing, China

- Livingstone Gallery, The Hague, NL

- ArtCN Gallery, Shanghai, China

- JIWU Art Space, Nanjing, China

- Kaneko Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

- Livingstone Gallery, The Hague, NL

- Kaneko Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

- Livingstone Gallery, The Hague, NL

- Van Duyse Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium

- Kaneko Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

- C&H Art Space, Amsterdam, NL

- Willy Schoots Gallery, Eindhoven, NL

- 38CC Art Lab, Delft, NL

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2003

2002

2000

1998

1994

1992

- Willy Schoots Gallery, Eindhoven, NL

- Livingstone Gallery, The Hague, NL

- C-Space Beijing, Beijing, China

- Kaneko Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

- Willy Schoots Gallery, Eindhoven, NL

- Livingstone Gallery, The Hague, NL

- Willy Schoots Gallery, Eindhoven, NL

- Livingstone Gallery, The Hague, NL

- Kaneko Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

- RAM Gallery, Rotterdam, NL

- Kaneko Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

- Embassy of the Netherlands, Tokyo, Japan

- Nederlandse Gasunie, Groningen, NL

- Casco, Utrecht, NL

- Van Kranendonk Gallery, The Hague, NL

Duo Exhibitions (selection)

2018

2017

2015

2012

2010

2008

2007

- Adriaan Rees and Gijs Frieling, Cultural Capital of Europe Leeuwarden, NL

- Adriaan Rees and Herman Makkink, SBK Gallery North, Amsterdam, NL

- Adriaan Rees and Sam Rees, SBK Gallery South, Amsterdam, NL

- Adriaan Rees and Alexander Ginter, Gallery M, Landau, Germany

- Adriaan Rees and Alexander Ginter, P13 Gallery, Heidelberg, Germany

- Adriaan Rees and Gijs Frieling, Art Amsterdam, Maria Chailloux Gallery, Amsterdam, NL

- Adriaan Rees and Theo Kemp, Achter de Weg Gallery, Dordrecht, NL

- Adriaan Rees and Alexander Ginter, P13 Gallery, Heidelberg, Germany

Group Exhibitions (selection)

Museums

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

- Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem, NL

- Museum of Porcelain, Jingdezhen, China

- Princessehof Ceramics Museum, Leeuwarden, NL

- Museum Tiendschuur, Tegelen, NL

- Yuan Chonghuan Museum, Dongguan, China

- Prinsenhof Museum, Delft, NL

- Imperial Porcelain Museum, Jingdezhen, China

2009

2008

2005

2001

1997

- Stedelijk Museum Kampen, Kampen, NL

- Netherlands Ceramic Museum, Fu Ping, China

- Stedelijk Museum 's-Hertogenbosch, Den Bosch, NL

- Princessehof Ceramics Museum, Leeuwarden, NL

- Museum Beelden aan Zee, Scheveningen, NL

Galleries

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

- Coppejans Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium

- Kaneko Art Gallery, Yokohama, Japan

- Coppejans Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium

- Kaneko Art Gallery, Yokohama, Japan

- Livingstone Gallery, The Hague, NL

- Anningahof Sculpture Park, Zwolle, NL

- Livingstone Gallery, The Hague, NL

- Anningahof Sculpture Park, Zwolle, NL

- Gerrit Rietveld Academie (Anniversary Show), Amsterdam

- ArtCN Gallery, Shanghai, China

- Anningahof Sculpture Park, Zwolle, NL

- Schoots+Van Duyse Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium

- ArtCN Gallery, Shanghai, China

- Kaneko Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

- Anningahof Sculpture Park, Zwolle, NL

- Royal Palace Soestdijk, Soestdijk, NL

- Schoots+Van Duyse Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium

- Livingstone Gallery, Berlin, Germany

- De Vis Gallery, Harlingen, NL

- Posthuys Gallery, Texel, NL

- Anningahof Sculpture Park, Zwolle, NL

- RAM Gallery, Rotterdam, NL

- Anningahof Sculpture Park, Zwolle, NL

- De Nederlandse Bank, Amsterdam, NL

- Schoots+Van Duyse Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium

- Livingstone Gallery, The Hague, NL

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2003

2000

1998

1995

1993

- Kaneko Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

- Anningahof Sculpture Park, Zwolle, NL

- Schoots+Van Duyse Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium

- C&H Art Space, Amsterdam, NL

- Pulchri, Den Haag, NL

- Maria Chailloux Gallery, Amsterdam, NL

- Van Duyse Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium

- Maria Chailloux Gallery, Amsterdam, NL

- A.A.C.A. Synergy, Inax Corporation, Tokyo, Japan

- 2 Cities Gallery, Shanghai, China

- W139 Art Space, Amsterdam, NL

- CAFA Gallery, Beijing, China

- Garth Clark Gallery, New York City, USA

- Ceramic World Biennale, Icheon World Ceramic Centre, Korea

- China Ceramic Council, Foshan, China

- Moscow Forum of Art, Moscow, Russia

- RED Centre, Dordrecht, NL

- Sculpture in the Little Forest, Ranaana, Israel

- Contemporary Art Centre, Moscow, Russia

- Oude Kerk, Amsterdam, NL

Art fair

2021

2019

2016

2015

2014

- Shanghai Art Fair, ArtCN Gallery, Shanghai, China

- Art The Hague, Livingstone Gallery, NL

- KunstRAI Amsterdam, Livingstone Gallery, NL

- Dutch Design Week, Shanghai, China

- PAN Amsterdam, Livingstone Gallery, Amsterdam, NL

2013

2011

2008

2007

- PAN Amsterdam, Livingstone Gallery, Amsterdam, NL

- Art Amsterdam, Livingstone Gallery, Amsterdam, NL

- PAN Amsterdam, Willy Schoots Gallery, Amsterdam, NL

- Art Cologne, Willy Schoots Gallery, Koln, Germany

- MIArt, Piercarlo Borgogno Gallery, Milano, Italy

2014

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2004

2003

- Circus Svea, sculptures, Schiedam, NL

- Street lamps, Delft, NL

- The Monkey / Het Heerlijk Recht, sculpture and wall, Leiderdorp, NL

- Schoolproject, sculptures, Enkhuizen, NL

- Roundabout, roundabout sculptures, Amsterdam, NL

- Sculpture for Hoogersmilde, NL

- Hanging glass- and ceramic sculpture, Maassluis, NL

- Boom van Hippocrates, sculpture and terrazzo Bench, Amsterdam, NL

- Schoolproject, sculptures, Amsterdam, NL

- Neptunis, sculpture and landscaping, Pijnacker-Nootdorp, NL

- Carillons with bronze sculptures, Heerhugowaard, NL

- Ceramic Sculptures for Fredonia, State University of New York, USA

2002

2001

2000

1998

1995

1994

1993

1992

- Apenluiders, fountain sculpture, IJsselstein, NL

- Boog, sculpture, Aa and Hunze, NL

- Embassy of the Netherlands, sculpture, Tokyo, Japan

- Town Square, design and development, Nieuwkoop, NL

- Sculpture forest, design and development, Ursula Foundation, Nieuwkoop, NL

- Big Ear, sculpture, Raänana, Israël

- Signum Omnicalus, sculpture, Almere, NL

- De Steenhouwer, sculpture, Gouda, NL

- University of Amsterdam, sculpture and furniture, NL

- Windmill, sculpture and breadproject, Zoetermeer, NL