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Aaron van Erp

A man standing in front of a bizarre painting depicting various figures engaged in unusual activities in a dimly lit room, showcasing a mix of dark humor and surreal imagery.

“One can often laugh at gruesome things.” With this statement, Aaron van Erp (1978) characterizes his paintings, which, with their often brutal subjects and bizarre titles, still manage to evoke a smile. Since graduating in 2001 from the Academy of Art and Design in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Aaron van Erp has had a flourishing career. His paintings, with their alienating depictions, have been included in various collections nationally and internationally, including the prestigious Saatchi Collection. Aaron van Erp opens his first solo museum exhibition at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, showcasing paintings and drawings from his Academy days to the present, with a focus on his most recent work.

Jars of Peanut Butter
In his paintings, Van Erp often incorporates recognizable objects from our everyday world: shopping carts, meatballs, jars of peanut butter, Edah bags, and washing machines. He places these objects in desolate, desert-like landscapes or large, empty interior spaces. His colorful depictions sometimes reference famous paintings from the past (The Meatball Eaters, 2000) or evoke associations with societal themes such as terrorism, problems in the healthcare system, or child abuse. For example, the painting The Toddler Tamer (2006), in which a shadowy figure maintains order with a whip, immediately brings to mind images of child abuse. However, the work, despite its sadistic undertones, is also humorous due to the way it is painted. The green boots of the tamer, the title, the use of color, and the absurd environment all serve to put the intensity of the depiction into perspective.

www.ftn-books.com has several van Erp publications now available.

Exhibition poster for Aaron van Erp's show 'The Drawings 1998 - 2018', featuring minimalistic sketches of figures with a playful use of color.

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