In a short period of time, there have been many exhibitions of paintings created by Jan Brinkman, both in the Netherlands and abroad. According to several art critics, the reason for this would be his unique language of images and lines and his optimistic use of colours. The latest exhibition was held in Barcelona, Spain, in the Galeria Grupo Batik Art.
Subjects of his paintings are landscapes, interpretations of icons and themes connected to the international student work for IFES-Bis, in which Jan Brinkman is involved. With respect to his techniques, he prefers to work with tempera (egg yolk with pigments and gum Arabic). Due to his many visits abroad, he has the opportunity to take home tempera pigments from many countries. Other techniques he uses are oil, gouache and chalk.
Through the exhibitions showing his work abroad, Jan Brinkman says he has become even more fascinated with what colours can do in a certain culture. In China, for instance, people loved his work, but said he should not use so much blue – that would not be a happy colour. In Sweden, however, people especially liked the works in which he had used a lot of blue – they would express optimism and joy. In this country his work was described as ‘lyrically abstract’. But in whatever way people experience his use of colours, art galleries appear to be convinced of the uniqueness of his style, showing the passion and pleasure with which he uses the brush. During this conference fifteen of his works are on display.
Together with a number of international students, Jan Brinkman developed the idea of organising Arty Parties for international students. During these parties, they can paint their experiences of the change of culture, studying in the Netherlands, etc. At the end of the evening the students show and explain the paintings they created. A selection of their paintings is exposed in art galleries, universities, and churches and during conferences. Exhibitions at the university and in churches are organised with the aim to show the public the situation of international students in the Netherlands.
Jan died 2th Christmasday 2016.
Expositie CBS 2004