Marian Cramer Projects - Amsterdam

Marian Cramer is pleased to present the first solo exhibition by Daan Koens (Amsterdam, 1994) in the gallery. For the show Koens made a new body of paintings that together form an expansive exploration of identity. While self-portraits are central to the presentation, the exhibition also includes portraits of friends, depictions of events, and references drawn from popular culture. "The exhibition carries my name because I see the whole as a self-portrait," Koens explains. "Not only in the literal sense of the works in which I depict myself, but above all in the collection of images that together reflect my gaze. It is about things I have experienced and witnessed: news fragments, absurdist internet memes, spectacle, friends, and self-portraits. Instead of a linear story, a kaleidoscope of impressions emerges, an attempt to create a self-portrait that reaches further than any single painting could." Koens is a self-taught painter living and working in Rotterdam. Influenced by masters such as Van Gogh, Gauguin, Picasso, Velázquez, Goya, and Modigliani, his practice ranges from realism to cubist experimentation. His distinctive approach has been shaped by both formative experiences in the tropical landscapes of the former Netherlands Antilles, where he spent part of his youth, and his decision to step away from art school to pursue an independent path. This exhibition consolidates Koens’ position as an artist deeply engaged with both the history of painting and the conditions of contemporary life. His new works present not only an intimate reflection on selfhood but also a broader vision of the world as filtered through a singular painterly gaze.

For the fourth year Marian Cramer Projects returns to Paris during Paris Art Week coinciding with Art Basel Paris.

Marian Cramer is pleased to present the fourth solo exhibition by Tokyo-based sculptor Hideki Iinuma. Hideki Iinuma will be present for the Opening on: Saturday, 1 november 16.00 – 18.00 hr Sunday, 2 november 15.00 – 17.00 hr Hideki Iinuma, (Nagano Japan,1975) explores the intersection of tradition and modernity, reflecting both the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms, blooming and falling within a week, and the fast-changing rhythm of fashion. Through wooden sculpture, Iinuma captures impermanence and transformation. Rooted in the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi , Iinuma embraces the natural imperfections of wood, allowing its organic forms to guide his process. At times refined, at times raw, his sculptures balance control and spontaneity, permanence and decay. They become quiet reflections on time and nature, while carrying the pulse of the present.