Pim Palsgraaf creates complex works that blur the boundaries between painting and sculpture.
Through his work he explores themes of urban and natural dichotomy that reveals the fragility of urban spaces, often portraying deserted rooms and deteriorating structures that are being reclaimed by nature. This theme emphasizes the impermanence of human creations and the inevitable return of nature.
His works incorporate perspective lines and three-dimensional forms due to humanity's use of these methods to comprehend their environment. To delve deeper into the nature of perception, he isolated himself in a completely dark, silent room for five days, devoid of any temporal cues. This intense sensory deprivation experience revealed to him the fluidity of time and the constructed nature of perception in the human mind. Profoundly impacted by this revelation, his subsequent works evolved into spatial sculptural pieces that invite audiences to question their own constructed realities.
With painting as background, Palsgraaf approaches his sculptural collages similarly, layering recovered wood and found materials like a painter would layer oil paint. These materials add depth, light, and texture to his pieces, with each contributing its distinct colour from the decay of the material, functioning like brushstrokes in a painting. Through this technique, he creates rich, complex works that blur the boundaries between painting and sculpture.
EXHIBITIONS
2024
KAOS International Festival of Contemporary Collage Kranj, Slovenia
Fundación Valentín de Madariaga y Oya. with Galeria Álvaro Alcázar (Madrid) Sevilla [ES]
VOLTA Basel Art Fair. with NLisUS Gallery [CH]
BELOW THE SURFACE | Solo exhibition at NLisUS Gallery Rotterdam [NL]
Bordeaux Art+Design BAD+ with Galería Álvaro Alcázar Madrid. (Group) Bordeaux [FR]
Amuse. Gallery Wilms, (Group) Venlo [NL]
Tarmac- zero one. De Halle, (Group) Geel [BE]
Kunstrai Amsterdam with Franzis Engels Gallery (Solo) [NL]
2023
Obertura Carabanchel. With the Tönnheim Gallery. Madrid [ES]
Art Den Haag art fair. With NLisUS Gallery. (Group) [NL]
VOLTA Basel Art fair. With NLisUS Gallery. (Group) Basel [CH]
Salangen Biennale, IPIHAN#13. (Group) Salangen. [NO]
‘Backstage’ Sør Troms Museum (Group) Sjøvegan [NO]
‘Future remains’ Wadström Tönnheim Gallery. Marbella (Solo) [ES]
“#101 Mauritsweg”, NLisUS Gallery Rotterdam (Group) [NL]
Vouch 3 Art Valet. Loods 6, (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
Art Rotterdam art fair. ‘Sculpture garden’. NLisUS Galerie (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
‘This is the age of destruction’. Franzis Engels Galerie (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
2022
Big Art. Bajeskwartier (Group)Amsterdam [NL]
H(a)L, Het archief, (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
Landgoed, kapeller en kunstsmallen. Sculpture route. (Group) Heeze. [NL]
‘If paradise is half as nice’ #12. ‘Alter Leipziger Bahnhof'. (Group) Dresden, Germany [DE]
Geh8, Group exhibition, Dresden, Germany [DE]
Volta Basel Art fair. with NLisUS Gallery. (Group) Basel, Switzerland [CH]
Kunstschouw. Zeeland. Sculpture route (Group) Noordwelle [NL]
‘Membrane’ De spelonk, Site specific installation (Solo) Den Haag. [NL]
‘Into the great blue yonder’ (Duo) Franzis Engels Galerie, Amsterdam [NL]
Anningahof Sculpture garden (Group) Zwolle [NL]
Commissioned site specific sculpture. Flims, Switzerland [CH]
Museum Zandvoort, beelden in Zandvoort (Group) [NL]
Traces of existence, NLisUS Gallery Rotterdam, (Solo) [NL]
NPO2 extra (Dutch television) broadcasted documentary IPIHAN#9. about our art project If paradise is half as nice. [NL]
IFFR International film festival Rotterdam. Documentary If paradise is half as nice. [NL]
2021
Traces of existence, NLisUS Gallery, (Solo) Rotterdam [NL]
Keilecontemporary Harart Gallery (Duo) Rotterdam [NL]
'If paradise is half s nice' #11 ehemalige backerei,(Group) Meuselwitz [DE]
Rerun sculpture route museum schokland. Site specific installation (Group) Schokland [NL]
Ijsselbiennale. sculpture route (Group) Olst [NL]
NL=US Gallery 'schatkamer' during Art Rotterdam (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
Beeldentuin Anningahof (Group), Zwolle [NL]
Beeldentuin achter de westduinen (Group) Ouddorp, [NL]
PG2 summer exhibition sculpture garden (Group) Rhoon, [NL]
Charlois speciaal, fenixloods (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
2020
RAM lichtroute. (Group) Noordoostpolder, Nagele [NL]
Charlois speciaal, fenixloods (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'MovinGrounds' exhibition space 38CC (Group) Delft [NL]
If paradise is half as nice #10. former concrete plant Crooswijk. (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
Papier biënnale, Thuis/Home. Museum Rijswijk (Group) Rijswijk [NL]
Beeldentuin Anningahof (Group), Zwolle [NL]
Beeldentuin achter de westduinen (Group) Ouddorp, [NL]
Ground control, Master apprentice #2 Kunstpodium T, TAC (Group) Eindhoven [NL]
Site specific installation, private collector. Basel [Swiss]
2019
Show box#8, Foundation Mesh (Solo) Rotterdam [NL]
'If Paradise Is Half As Nice #9' ehemalige Zitza Fabrik (Group) Zeitz [DE]
De vensterbank (Solo) Amersfoort [NL]
VOLTA Basel Art fair, Booth B19. NL=US Gallery. (Duo) Basel [Swiss]
'Maaskant getekend', Hilton Hotel CBK Rotterdam (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'Serenditipy' Franzis Engels Gallery (Duo) Amsterdam [NL]
Art Rotterdam Art fair. NL=US Gallery, booth 59 (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'Aanschouw' TENT Rotterdam (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
2018
'Maaskant getekend', Kunsthal Museum Rotterdam (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'Ode aan het Nedloydhuis'. Het plafond Ruimte voor kunst en cultuur, (Solo) Rotterdam [NL]
YIA Young contemporary art fair, Booth 27, NL=US galerie (Group) Paris, [FR]
'RORO buiten', Sculpture in public space Rotterdam (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'UNFADED'. NL=US Gallery (Duo) Rotterdam [NL]
'If Paradise Is Half As Nice #8' ehemalige Kaufhaus (Group) Altenburg [DE]
SCOPE Art fair, Booth 012, NL=US Gallery (Solo) New York City [USA]
'Dark Alleys' sbk kunstuitleen (Solo) Amsterdam [NL]
Bureau twee, bkw partners. (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
'Traces of personal presence'. Twelvetwelve Gallery (Group) Den Haag [NL]
'Aanschouw' TENT Rotterdam (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
2017
PULSE Miami art fair, NL=US Galerie, booth 304, North. (Group) Miami [USA]
'If Paradise Is Half As Nice #7' ehemalige Nudlefabrik (Group) Zeitz [DE]
'Kunstenfestival' (Group) Aardenburg [NL]
Kunstrai Art Fair Amsterdam. 'Kersentuin' (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
Anningahof sculpture park (Group) Zwolle [NL]
'Apocalypse now' Cranach Stiftung, (Group) Wittenberg [DE]
'Hyperdensity' NL=US Galerie (Solo) Rotterdam [NL]
'In the absence of light' Museumnacht. Site specific installation, Kunsthal, (Solo) Rotterdam
[NL]
Rotterdam Contemporary Art fair. Booth NL=US Galerie (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'If Paradise Is Half As Nice presentation' TENT Rotterdam (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'Aanschouw' TENT Rotterdam (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
2016
'Remains of the day' Pulchri studio, (Duo) Den Haag [NL]
'The end, Let's start again'. Donau83 (Group) Berlin [DE]
'In the absence of light' Site specific installation Kunsthal museum (Solo) Rotterdam [NL]
'The act of the object' De Vishal (Group) Haarlem [NL]
'If paradise is half as nice#6', Ehemalige Polygraph Fabrik, (Group) Leipzig, [DE]
Outline art and electronic music Festival (Group) Moskou [RU]
Bob Smit Galerie, NSJ (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'North sea jazz', No Walls (Solo) Rotterdam [NL]
'Park en schotel' artfestival (Group) Esbeek [NL]
'Questioning reality'. Cokkie Snoei Gallery (Duo) Rotterdam [NL]
Art Rotterdam Art fair Cokkie snoei Gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
Rotterdam Contemporary art fair. No Walls (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
2015
'If paradise is half as nice # 5, ehemalige Dietzold Fabrik (Group) Leipzig [DE]
Rotterdam Contemporary art fair, No Walls (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'If paradise is half as nice #4' Lasloods (Group) Vlissingen [NL]
Amsterdam Art Fair, Kunsthal Citroen, Cokkie Snoei Gallery (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
'Cityscape 2'. Pulchri Studio (Group) Den Haag [NL]
'Gewoon natuurlijk' Cultuurwerf (Duo) Vlissingen [NL]
'Cityscapes'. NL=US Gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
Rotterdam Contemporary Art Fair (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
No Walls. Fenixloodsen (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
Realisme Art Fair. Ampelhaus booth PTA (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
2014
Art in Redlight Art fair, Beurs van Berlage (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
'Now Babylon' W139 (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
'Unter Zwischen' Ampelhaus (Group) Oranienbaum, [DE]
'If paradise is half as nice #3', Pi-LAB projectspace, (Group) Leipzig [DE]
Motel Mozaïque festival. (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'If Paradise is half as nice #3', ehemalige Brotfabrik (Group) Leipzig [DE]
'Wildernis'. Kuub ruimte voor kunst&cultuur, (Group) Utrecht [NL]
'Artist's Proof' Cokkie Snoei Gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'Salon d' autonome', Rotterdam Central station (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
Art Rotterdam art fair with Cokkie Snoei gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
NL=US gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'If Paradise Is Half As Nice #2' Frank Taal Gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
2013
'Groot defilé der beeldenaars' WTC Gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
CBK (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
'If paradise is half as nice #2' Atelierhof Kreuzberg (Group) Berlin [DE]
'If paradise is half as nice #2' Ehemalige motorwerken (Group) Leipzig [DE]
"Fit for a king'. Ampelhaus (Group) Oranienbaum [DE]
'Jesus Christ superstar', No walls (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'LAP', Kers gallery (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
Anningahof sculpture park (Group) Zwolle [NL]
'As tears go by' Cokkie Snoei Gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
Re: Rotterdam Art fair (Solo) Rotterdam [NL]
'Hotel Rotterdam' (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'The traveller'. TENT Rotterdam (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'It ain't over yet'. Kop (Group) Breda [NL]
2012
'If paradise is half as nice# 1', ehemalige baumwolspinnerei (Group) Leipzig [DE]
'Kompost', Gallery Roy, (Group) Zulpich [DE]
'Aanwinst' Hro Collection, Kunsthal Museum (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'Megalopolis' Cokkie Snoei Gallery (Solo) Rotterdam [NL]
'Blauwdruk'. Arti et Amicitae (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
'Haarlemse lente' Tanya Rumpff art (Group) Haarlem [NL]
ART Rotterdam art fair, Cokkie Snoei Gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
MK award fundraiser show (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
Re:Rotterdam Art Fair, (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'Hotel Rotterdam'. (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'Late night show'. Naturalis museum (Group) Leiden [NL]
2011
'Future policy ceremony award'. Central Park Zoo (Group) New York City [USA]
Tragic death of my gallerists Emmo Grofsmid and Karmin Kartowikromo of MK Gallery
Rotterdam
'Mycose'. Kappur Gallery (Solo) Tilburg [NL]
Museumnacht Rotterdam 'Multiscape' MK Gallery (Solo) Rotterdam [NL]
'Multiscape', MK Gallery (Solo) Rotterdam [NL]
Art Rotterdam art fair VIP Program. Open studio tour. (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
2010
'Biennal wintersalon', Elga Wimmer Gallery (Group) New York City [USA]
Fountain Miami Art fair, Christina Ray Gallery (Group) Miami [USA]
Pulse Miami Art fair, MK Gallery (Group) Miami [USA]
Governors Island Art Fair. (Group) New York City [USA]
'Good vibrations' MK Gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'Mission; edition' Christina Ray Gallery (Group) New York City [USA]
Art Amsterdam art fair. MK Gallery (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
Anningahof sculpture park (Group) Zwolle [NL]
'the nomadic condition' SM'S Stedelijk Museum 's Hertogenbosch (Group) Den Bosch [NL]
2009
'Summer solo show'. 3rd Ward (Solo) New York City [USA]
Preview Berlin art fair. MK Gallery (solo) Berlin [DE]
'Transformations'. MK Gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'222VOLT', singel 222 (Group) Dordrecht [NL]
'Close encounters'. Blokhuispoort (Group) Leeuwarden [NL]
ART Amsterdam art fair. MK Gallery, (Group) Amsterdam [NL]
'Transformations'. MK Gallery (Group) Berlin [DE]
ART Rotterdam art fair, MK gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
2008
'Ecoscape' TENT Rotterdam (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
'Where is my mind?' ARTRMX Cologne at E-raum (Group) Cologne [DE]
'Power of places' International Landscape Triennial. Nettenfabriek (Group) Apeldoorn [NL]
'Review of a position', Berlin Biennale, MK Gallery (Group) Berlin [DE]
'Rechtsachter'. Centrum Beeldende Kunst Rotterdam (Solo) Rotterdam [NL]
ART Rotterdam Art fair. MK Gallery (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
2007
'Review of a position'. MK Gallery (Group), Rotterdam [NL]
Gallery De Wit, (Solo) Bergen op Zoom [NL]
'Xpose162'. Gallery de Sigarenfabriek (Group) Delft [NL]
'Kunstmoment'. kunstroute 2007 (Group) Gouda [NL]
'Kunst aan de kade'. Museumnacht (Group) Rotterdam [NL]
AWARDS
2020 Nominated for the Heineken Art Prize
2012 Nominated for the Charlotte van Pallandt prize
EDUCATION
1999 - 2003 Willem de Kooning Art Academy Rotterdam/ The Netherlands. Graduated with honours.
1995 - 1999 Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam/ The Netherlands. Graduated with honours.
