Bram Reijnders

If we were to believe all the messages around us, we’d end up in a surreal universe that usually seems a lot more beautiful than it actually is—and which parts of it do you automatically accept as truth? In Bram Reijnders’ recent works, he depicts this universe through self-assured, seductive women or comic-book characters who demand your full attention through unabashed self-promotion featuring extravagant poses, slogans, and glitter. By mixing these with cartoonish elements, he depicts his “socially ironic” passion for the contemporary world, of which he himself is very much a product. He describes his work as “Much Too Much.”

Reijnders’ commercial background is certainly reflected in his work. He seeks to capture the beauty of commerce—the rhythm and color found in products and store windows. The allure clearly appeals to him: sexy women who invite you in, or cartoon elements that play on your subconscious. Life is, in a way, one big flirtation; he also works with torn backgrounds featuring scratches and cracks. Through this, he attempts to blend decay and aging with seductive beauty. Unconsciously, he seems to be exploring the overarching theme of life and death.

What Bram Reijnders has built up in just two years is, to say the least, impressive. He is represented by galleries in Los Angeles, Miami, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Berlin, Singapore, Amsterdam, The Hague, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. In addition, his work has been featured at some 15 international art fairs on nearly every continent. CBS News in the United States recently described his work as “surprising and playful.” He was the best-selling artist at an art fair in New York and will soon be exhibiting in Rome alongside Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, and in November alongside the world-famous wrapping artist Christo.