Biography

The painter’s studio is not the ideal workplace for Nils Verkaeren (BE, b. 1980). As a contemporary plein airist, direct contact with nature is essential to his practice. Balancing between canvas and reality, he seeks a dialogue with the natural world. His aim is to merge with his surroundings, while remaining critically aware of his own artistic vision.

Verkaeren is fascinated by nature’s constant transformation. He strives to capture that energy on both large canvases and small wooden panels. By integrating pathos and his sensory experiences, he transcends the genre, creating a personal parody—a manipulation of reality that condenses the time he spent immersed in the landscape.

To infuse his works with this emotional resonance, Verkaeren has repeatedly withdrawn from society. By choice, he travelled to remote areas—rural and unspoiled landscapes that often made painting nearly impossible. These harsh conditions shaped his process in such a way that his connection to the place became embedded in the final work. He does not merely paint what he sees; he experiences what he paints.

This approach creates a certain tension within him—a restlessness that makes his oeuvre anything but classical. It compels him to move around with his canvases and quite literally step away from the impressionist tradition.

  • 2024

    ‘Borrowed Landscape’, Mexico, MX

    ‘Waiting for the Flowers to pop', Galerie Lloyd, Ostend, BE

    2023

    ‘Presence Of A Mountain’, Kusseneers Gallery, Brussels, BE

    2022

    'Prensence of a Mountain,' MMaison, Bogota, COL

    ‘The Walls Are My Sketchbook’, Hotel Flora, Antwerp, BE

    ‘Searching For My Alibi’, La Romieu, FR

    ‘Attempts At Civil Disobedience’, Galerie Lloyd, Ostend, BE

    2021

    ‘Mon Pays des Merveilles’, Béraut, FR

    ‘Splendid Quarantine’, Kusseneers Gallery, Brussels, BE

    2020

    ‘Retracing Steps’, Kusseneers Gallery, Brussels, BE

    2019

    ‘Chased by Light’, MMaison, Bogota, COL

    ‘When Painting Becomes Sculpting’, Artesumapaz, San Bernardo, COL

    ‘Prohibido Pintar Area Protegida’, Buenos Aires, AR

    2018

    ‘Splendid Isolation’, Kusseneers Gallery, Brussels, BE

    ‘Prohibido Pintar Area Protegida’, Kusseneers gallery, Brussels, BE

    2017

    ‘11937 km’, CASSTL (artist-space founded by Carla Arocha, Stéphane Schraenen and Luc Tuymans), Antwerp, BE

    2011

    ‘Einzelganger’, Studio Gert Voorjans, Antwerp, BE

  • 2024

    ‘ARTBO’, Bogota, COL

    'The Landscape Is Our Alibi', Galerie LdW, Antwerp, BE

    2023

    ‘Gist’, Zenne Triënnale, Het Huis van Herman Teirlinck, Beersel, BE

    ‘Zandgrond, Hedendaagse kunst vanuit Jakob Smits’, De Warande, Turnhout, BE

    ‘Aqualex IV’, Aqualex, Knokke, BE

    2022

    ‘Kunst In Puurs’, Puurs, BE

    2021

    ‘Niemand is een Eiland’, Damme, BE

    ‘Expo Colere Deum Tuum’, Ronse, BE

    ‘Zomertijd in Emile Van Dorenmuseum’, Genk, BE

    ‘The shadow of the cross’, Brussels, BE

    2020

    ‘Redirected 4X4’, Antwerp, BE

    ‘The Clown Spirit’, Ronny Van de Velde, Antwerp, BE

    ‘Chasing Flowers’, WARP, Sint-Niklaas, BE

    2019

    ‘Meeting Point’, Hopland, Antwerp, BE

    ‘Artswap, Museo de Arquitectura y Diseño’, Buenos Aires, AR

    2018

    ‘Art Brussels’, Brussels, BE

    2017

    ‘De Opwarming, Royal Academy of Fine Arts’, Antwerp, BE

    ‘Art Brussels’, Brussels, BE

    ‘You don’t need an app to experience the real’, Kusseneers Gallery, Brussels, BE

    2016

    ‘A l’état sauvage, Maison d’art et design’, Troncais, FR

    ‘Beuling, ETAGE22’, Antwerp BE

    ‘Capital M’, Park Loods, Antwerp BE

    ‘Mapping Emotions’, with a.o. Bert De Beul, J-M Bytebier, Nick Andrews, Marie Cloquet and Stijn Cole, ETAGE22, Antwerp, BE

    ‘Zwarte Vijvers/Etangs Noirs – Intimi, double expo with Bendt Eyckermans’, Kusseneers Gallery, Brussels, BE

    2008

    ‘Nature-Nurture’, double expo with Michel Verkaeren, Martin Van Blerck Gallery, Antwerp, BE

    2002

    ‘How Music Becomes Painting’, Wolsack, Antwerp, BE

  • 2020

    Group Exhibition ‘ARE(N)A’, Brussel, BE

    2016

    Group Exhibition ‘ETAGE22’, Antwerp, BE

    ‘Wake Up And Dream’, with a.o. Guillaume Bijl, Carla Arocha and Stéphane Schraenen, Tina Gillen, Nadia Naveau and Dennis Tyfus.

    ‘Mixed Emotions’ group expo, with o.a. Boy and Erik Stappaerts and Hans Everaert.

    ‘Mapping Emotions/Landscapes’, group expo, with o.a. Bert De Beul, Jean-Marie Bytebier, Nick Andrews, Jan Kempenaers, Stijn Cole and Bert Denckaert.

  • 2021

    ‘The landscape is my alibi’

    2019

    ‘Chased by light’

    2018

    ‘Splendid Isolation’

    2017

    ‘Climbing and painting a volcano and letting the paint dray’, by CASSTL (Carla Arocha, Stéphane Schraenen en Luc Tuymans)

  • 2020

    ‘Retracing Steps’, premiere docu, De Studio, Antwerp, BE

    2016

    ‘Nord, Performance’, Stadsfeestzaal, Antwerp, BE