10 Questions with Johannes Boekhoudt

Johannes Boekhoudt (Dutch artist. 1966) in Willemstad, Curaçao Dutch Antilles. His Mother was a Secretary of the Bonaire Government in the Dutch Caribbean. His father was a businessman. He lived his early years on Bonaire Island. In (1973) Boekhoudt immigrated with his parents to Costa Rica, Central America, where he easily blended into the Latin American culture. Later in the ’90s, he became a commercial pilot in Costa Rica and the United States. During his years as a pilot, he briefly worked as an air ambulance pilot and was shocked at the fragility of life and decided that his career as a pilot had run its course. In the year 1999, he married Erika and moved to Houston, Texas, in the United States.

Boekhoudt and his wife have two sons, Nickolas and Christopher. Not satisfied with his previous career, on September 11 (2001), the catastrophic event of 911 inspired him to work towards his dream, to be an expressionist artist, and raise his voice through his paintings. Meanwhile, he was certified as an Intra aortic balloon technician, which was a resource to advance his career as a professional artist. During short moves to and from Houston and McAllen, TX, he created small formats of paintings from a makeshift studio in his garage. In (2001) he began to exhibit his work as part of group exhibitions. In (2003), he went to New York for the first time looking for opportunities as an artist. In New York, he presented photos of his artwork produced in Houston, including works in crosses, later becoming his signature style. During this visit, he had an opportunity to exhibit at the Venezuelan Consulate art gallery with masters in that period of time. The director of this gallery, Julio Aguilera, is also an artist and suggested that he meet a known private auction dealer. In SOHO of Lower Manhattan in New York City, Boekhoudt met with this private auction dealer to have him curate his works. After reviewing his works, the dealer stated that he had not seen the cross style before presented in the entire painting. He stated that Picasso and other artists have incorporated some crosses into an artwork but not the entire piece. He advised that Boekhoudt dedicated himself to creating more works with the cross technique and stated that if he continued with that style that “You would become later on a well-known artist.”  

Now he is best known as the artist of the crosses, a distinctive style made of brushstrokes by which his work can be analyzed. He works in all formats, especially in large oil on linen and canvas. He also creates drawings, mixed media works, and collages, which have become very collectible. After exploring impressionism, pointillism, and the cubism style, Boekhoudt finds himself in an abstract world. As an inventive creator, he also makes construction element sculptures out of different materials such as wood and old clock pieces. Boekhoudt is a self-taught international artist. He combines figurative and abstraction elements in his works. Boekhoudt is most heavily influenced by old master painters like Jean Michel Basquiat, Willem de Kooning, Joan Miró, and Pablo R. Picasso. The divergence of Boekhoudt’s own style from the masters before him was not easy. He has dedicated many years of perseverance and dedication to the creation of his signature works. He developed a unique style despite the turbulent artistic world. Since the beginning, the core of his works has been his strong ideas on human rights, social justice, children’s rights, and women’s rights. He openly addresses atrocities such as child abuse, domestic violence, organ trafficking, and social injustice issues of political instability occurring around the world. In (August 2005) during Houston’s mass evacuation from Hurricane Rita, Boekhoudt took his family to Costa Rica and decided to relocate there. While in Costa Rica, he started painting large formats and had the opportunity to exhibit in a well-established art museum for the first time, the Calderon Guardia Museum. In (2006), he begins to exhibit in solo exhibitions at some art galleries and art museums in Central America and the Caribbean. In (2012) Boekhoudt’s family moved to the United States again to Austin, Texas. He quickly realized that he needed to be in a bigger art community and then moved to Dallas, TX. Since then, the unlimited panorama of global events encouraged him to become a journalist artist. Documenting those social matters creates an opportunity to empower the younger generation to make a change. Boekhoudt is also a philanthropist and an art collector. He fulfills his humanitarian vision by donating his works for charity auctions to support children in need and other social nonprofit entities.

www.johannesfineart.com | @Johannesboekhoudtoficial

 ARTIST STATEMENT

Boekhoudt is an exclusive self-taught fine art painter with more than twenty years of experience. His original modern expressionist artwork is indeed one of a kind since Boekhoudt does not create nor authorize any reproductions of his artwork. He has an exceptionally loyal clientele since they can privately own original museum quality artwork that will never be displayed on a commercial level. Boekhoudt’s clientele includes high-profile entrepreneurs, CEOs, and professionals in several locations around the world. Boekhoudt was born in (1966) in Willemstad Curacao, Dutch Antilles. At an early age, his family moved to Costa Rica, where he adopted all his Latin American influences. Rich with this culture mix, he blends inspirations from Europe, Africa, and Latin America into his work.

INTERVIEW

Why are you an artist, and when did you first become one?

I am a natural-born artist; that is to say, I am self-taught. I feel the need to paint and create in relation to social events that happen around our world and my own experiences in this abstract society.

I was born with a gift in my hands; I never studied art itself in any way. Since I was a child, I have enjoyed drawing. With hours and hours of distraction in my own world, creating ideas, I learned individual techniques that would later become an essential part of my art. After September 11th of 2001, I embraced the artistic world on a professional level, which was dedicated to exhibitions in museums, galleries, and, obviously, collectors. 

What is your personal aim as an artist?

By means of my artwork, I have been able to prove that art can be taken to a higher level and, from there, collaborate with foundations and non-profit organizations that help those most in need, such children. 

Do you have a role model that you’ve drawn inspiration from when creating your art?

As I always say, “Between Jean Michel Basquiat, Willem D’Kooning, and Pablo Picasso, I exist.” I want to show the public how I adopt these great masters of the plastic arts into my own works. I have been constantly inspired without leaving behind my own style and identity. It is imperative to educate the new generations in art itself. Remember well that “the art educates those who truly see.”

What do you see as the strengths of your project, visually or conceptually?

My strength is conceptualism, creating an idea from the void, and taking this idea to a complete ending as a fulfilling experience. A trajectory can take months and even years to complete the concept and later develop the theme into visualization and impact. The finished artwork reflects the time and context of its own creation and space, thereby reinforcing the exposed concept of each material. 

Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What is your artistic routine when working?

There has to be a motive to create. Nothing is a coincidence. The idea initiates at any moment. Still today, I continue to revisit and create based on old sketches that were conceived in another time. I take these sketches to the canvas as part of a magical experience. Imagine the luxury of reliving ideas from more than thirty years ago that did not continue to develop due to factors in its time and now are considered personal masterpieces. 

I believe the routine is simple. First, we must envision the concept of the drawing onto the white of the canvas in all of its dimensions. Next, creating order and context to a pattern of colors, which gives way to a fluid creation led by the brush. 

What do you wish you knew about Contemporary Art before you got started?

AS a self-taught artist, I do not find the relevance of knowing what occurs in the greater contemporary stage. Art is contamination. It arises purely from the studio to be attacked and corrupted by the outside market. The financial aspect wants to become more important than the artwork itself. I paint to share with the world. I am one who believes that the work itself must be protected. There is a lot of rubbish in the contemporary scene, and all is not necessarily true art. I am a jealous artist regarding my works, and I do not want to mix with specific conceptual art simply because it is in fashion. Mine is of more modern art rather than contemporary, as I see it. I create fine art rather than décor destined to fill a specific interior or exterior space for the sole purpose of a sale. I enjoy seeing my artworks on display in important spaces that can help influence change in the newer generations with the ultimate goal of contributing to a more productive and healthy society. Trends come and go, but my paintings will still be displayed to see a positive and honest message. 

How do you keep yourself up to date with the latest digital trends and technologies that have today a significant impact on the art world?

By means of magazines and auctions, you can inform yourself of what is currently occurring in the art world. Today, social media is inundated with information and images that can become counterproductive with respect to your personal identity as an artist. The ability to cautiously obtain information is fine as long as it does not contaminate your work. 

Who is your typical client that purchases your paintings?

Mainly CEOs, blue-chip art collectors, and Investors. In one way or another, these people are connected with a certain theme of my work, such as human rights or the freedom of expression for children. Basic principles that we have forgotten to respect somewhere along the way. 

My collectors are those serious about the world of art. They also monitor the communications from the auctions and news regarding my works. This is why I prefer to push my art to the highest level and position myself in a recognized international position.

What artists influence your work most?

The masters D’ Kooning and Picasso are the most notable artists that inspire me. That is very clear. My own ingredients complement my works. This is my reflection, and I celebrate the fusion of technique with a perspective which, in turn, enriches the interpretation of my artwork.

What are you working on now? Anything exciting you can tell us about?

At this time, I am preparing a series of self-portraits in a collage format since I enjoy drawing and the paper itself. On the other hand, I also continue to paint works in which themes include parts of my own life. In this way, I am preparing materials that will be available for future exhibitions in diverse museums worldwide, when possible, in light of the current pandemic. 

We must remember something very important: The artist is constantly creating. 

Artists are tireless humans and unable to satisfy with regards to his own art. The artist does not sleep since he is constantly creating new concepts in his mind which keep him awake day by day. These are key elements to sort ideas of concepts and colors. The true artist defies and destroys academic norms. The self-taught artist is, by definition, guilty of this by the complete freedom of expression. I repeat once again; there are no coincidences in our environment. These factors are a preconceived concept that is well-executed to create the same result: a masterful artwork. I conclude with this phrase: “Art educates the beholder. “

PROJECTS & COLLECTIONS

Boekhoudt is constantly developing new projects and shows no signs of stopping. He currently lives and works in his art studio in Rockwall, TX. During the (2020) pandemic, Boekhoudt has continued to produce artworks and participate in interviews by prestigious art magazines and online media.  

Boekhoudt’s work is included in a number of public and private collections nationally and internationally, most notably:

AAM – African American Museum of Dallas in Dallas, Texas, USA

MBA – Museum of Biblical Art of Dallas in Dallas, Texas, USA

MAMCM – Museo Nacional de Arte Moderno Carlos Mérida in Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala

MARTE – Museo de Arte del Salvador in San Salvador, El Salvador

MAM – Museo de Arte Moderno in Santo Domingo, República Dominicana

MUSECAL – Museo Histórico Dr. Rafael Angel Calderón Guardia in 

San José, Costa Rica.