Gijs van Lith

Gijs van Lith is a Dutch contemporary artist whose work explores colour, form, line, gesture, composition and texture. His paintings are built through an intuitive process of painting and repainting, where spontaneous gestures and careful decisions come together.

“Intuition and mood are my brushes. I let the process and my hand guide me, and a few months later I see where I have ended up.”

About Gijs van Lith

Born in 1984, Gijs studied at the AKV St Joost art academy in
’s-Hertogenbosch, where he completed both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
After graduating, he established himself as an independent artist.

Colour plays a central role in his work. His paintings combine
vibrant colours with layers of material, allowing memories, forms and subtle
visual references to emerge from the surface. A foot, a finger, a body or a
landscape may appear within the abstract forms, inviting the viewer to discover
their own associations.

His paintings develop through a continuous process of painting and
repainting. Rough, spontaneous gestures meet more deliberate choices, creating
works that feel both energetic and carefully considered..

Awards and International Recognition

His work has gained recognition both in the Netherlands and
internationally. In 2009, he received the Thieme Art Young Talent Award, and
his work is now held in private and corporate collections around the world. His
work has also been exhibited at institutions including the Kunsthal Rotterdam
and Het Noordbrabants Museum in ’s-Hertogenbosch.

A process of painting and repainting

For Gijs, time is an important part of the creative process. The thick layers of oil paint need time to dry, but this also gives him the distance he needs to develop the work further.“It creates a kind of distance that gives me clarity and the freedom to see what I need to do next, or when the painting is finished.”Rather than working towards a predetermined result, Gijs allows the painting to develop organically. His intuition, mood and physical gestures guide the process, while the time between layers gives him an opportunity to step back and reassess the work.

Inspiration and influences

Gijs’ work brings together elements of Informel, Tachisme and Expressionism. His use of colour is reminiscent of Color Field painting, while his strong, raw and direct marks have connections to the German Neue Wilde movement. His paintings often contain subtle references to everyday life, popular culture and film, which can also appear in their titles. These references add another layer to the abstract compositions, leaving room for the viewer to form their own interpretation. For Gijs, painting is ultimately an ongoing process of discovery, where colour, gesture and material come together to create something that cannot always be defined in advance.

Gijs van Lith

About Gijs van Lith

Awards and International Recognition

A process of painting and repainting

Inspiration and influences

Inside the Studio with Gijs van Lith

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Gijs van Lith

About Gijs van Lith

Awards and International Recognition

A process of painting and repainting

Inspiration and influences

Inside the Studio with Gijs van Lith

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