Erik van Lieshout: René Daniëls, 2021

Anton Kern Gallery is proud to present Erik van Lieshout’s film René Daniëls (2021). The screenings will begin at 10am and repeat on the hour until 5 pm.

René Daniëls (b. Eindhoven, 1950) is one of the most renowned Dutch painters of the late twentieth century. In 1987 his career was abruptly interrupted by a stroke from which he has never entirely recovered. His then girlfriend Marleen Gijsen began to take care of him and has done so to this day. After twenty years Daniëls has begun to paint again, this time on a small scale, first repeating themes from his older paintings and gradually introducing new ones.

Erik van Lieshout (b. Deurne, 1968) produces videos and drawings in which he investigates art, socio-political topics, and himself. In this latest film he has created an intimate portrait of the artist René Daniëls that seeks to ask what it is to be an artist and to search for a dialogue with someone with whom no spoken words can be exchanged. He was invited to make this film by Daniëls’ long-time friend Marlene Dumas in August 2019 when Daniëls received the Culture Prize of the North Brabant Prince Bernhard Culture Fund, for the artistic importance of his work.

With positive support from Marleen Gijsen, he started filming in March 2020 and followed Daniëls for more than a year, visiting him at home in Eindhoven, including on his seventieth birthday, and taking trips to places like Nuenen and to De Pont Museum, where work by Daniëls could be seen in the collection. The significance of Daniëls’ early work and his position as an internationally renowned artist who breathed new life into the medium of painting is highlighted within the film. Educated as a social worker before going to art school at de Ateliers in Amsterdam, Van Lieshout wanted to create an engaging portrait of Daniëls’ present life and work that did not solely focus on his personal challenges.

Before the premiere of the film at De Pont Museum in 2021, the final edit of the film was shown to René Daniëls and Marleen Gijsen at Daniëls’ home in Eindhoven for their approval.

Erik van Lieshout’s work has been internationally exhibited and collected. Large solo and group shows include MMK, Frankfurt (2019), Albertina Museum Vienna (2019), the South London Gallery (2017), Hannover Kunstverein (2017), Wiels Contemporary Art Centre, Brussels (2016), TENT Rotterdam, Pauluskerk, Rotterdam (2016), Tessaloniki Biennale, Tessaloniki (2015), Manifesta 10, St. Petersburg (2014), Center for Contemporary Culture - GCCC, Moscow (2014), Moscow Biennale, Moscow (2013), 55th Venice Biennale, Venice (2013), Manifesta 9, Genk (2012), Art Unlimited, Basel (2011), The Museum Boijmans van Beunigen, Rotterdam (2006), and many others. He was the recipient of the Heineken Art Prize in 2018 and a finalist for the Daniel & Florence Guerlain Contemporary art Foundation Drawing Prize 2021.

René Daniëls was realized with the financial support of Mondrian Fund, Stichting Art Dock and

Netherlands Film Fund. 

Visit by appointment Saturday, March 30 through Saturday, April 6. Please note the gallery will be closed for installation Sunday, April 7 through Wednesday, April 10.