At first glance, the paintings of Bart van der Meiden appear abstract. Large fields of colour, earthy tones, a raw, expressive touch. But the longer you look, the more you sense something unfolding beneath the surface. Each layer carries an echo of what came before, as if the canvas has a memory.

Van der Meiden works with acrylic paint, pigments and natural additions such as flour, wood dust and turmeric. Together, these materials create a visible skin: thick, thin, rough, open. Some layers are left to dry for days before anything new happens. Others are removed, painted over or deliberately preserved. The result is always layered, earthy and rich in texture.

His process is intuitive and physical. There is no predetermined plan; he explores, responds and listens to what the canvas gives back. In this way, paintings slowly unfold. Shapes, movements and rhythms emerge, evoking something that cannot always be immediately put into words. At times, the works suggest landscapes; at others, organically evolving patterns. Yet they remain abstract and associative, leaving room for the viewer to look, explore and interpret.

Bart van der Meiden studied at the Utrecht School of the Arts (HKU) and works as both a visual artist and an art director. In his studio, he works on several paintings simultaneously, developing series that interact with and influence one another.Make my artistic voice more distinctive