HANS VAN DE BOVENKAMP Biography
Hans Van de Bovenkamp was born and raised in The Netherlands, where he studied architecture. Within ten years of his subsequent graduation from The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, he began showing his sculpture in New York (New York University, Tiffany's, 10 Downtown, Bryant Park), Houston, TX (Contemporary Arts Museum), Stamford, CT (Stamford Museum, The University of Connecticut), and in several other states.
Van de Bovenkamp quickly received recognition for his large-scale abstract works in bronze, stainless steel, painted steel, or aluminum. He received large commissions for corporate, private and public collections as early as 1964, the year he received the Emily Lowe Memorial Award.
For the next twenty-five years, Van de Bovenkamp’s work was shown in Italy, Lebanon, Venezuela, Switzerland, Canada, and was featured in ten museum, embassy, and sculpture center shows. His work was also displayed at numerous universities, public gardens and institutes. Today, Van de Bovenkamp’s sculpture is widely displayed in galleries throughout Europe and the US.
His undulating abstract forms of varying width and depth often contrast with clean circles or thrusts of vertical shapes to offer accomplished compositions of impressive grace. " Most of my shapes are soft and round: they are very feminine and sensuous, I hope. But I craft them in stainless steel so hard that knives can be made from it."
His work is inspired by myths, the collective consciousness, and subliminal learning. “I like dreams, myths and mythology," says the sculptor, who has been influenced by the work of Joseph Campbell, the cultural anthropologist. "A lot of my work is derived from ceremonial religious art."
Van de Bovenkamp spends most of his time working on large-scale, public commissions. When he works at a more intimate scale, he applies the same technical skill and aesthetic sensibility, creating some of the most sensuous abstract sculpture available today.
A recently published, 160-page book spanning the artist’s 40-year career is available from Hudson Hills Press. Foreword by Steve Larsen, Introduction by Phyllis Braff and Essay by Donald Kuspit.
HANS VAN DE BOVENKAMP Description
Since Van de Bovenkamp completed his first major corporate commission over 35 years ago, this highly respected sculptor has produced an enduring body of work. He is extensively shown and collected worldwide. His sensuous, undulating fabricated bronze or stainless works ("the bridge between architecture and nature") show meticulous technical skill.
HANS VAN DE BOVENKAMP Statement
"Landscape, architecture and sculpture: I think they all go together. In creating a large sculpture, I focus on its interaction with the entire outdoors: the relationship...the bridge between architecture and nature. Sculpture is a landmark. It is a window to introspection." - Hans Van de Bovenkamp
HANS VAN DE BOVENKAMP Resumé
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2007 Yellow Bird Gallery, Newburgh , NY
2007 Sculpturesite Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2007 Goldman Warehouse, Miami, FL
2007 Gary Nader Fine Art, Miami, FL
2007 Auberge du Soleil, Napa, CA
1981 The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
1979 Sculpture Center, New York, NY
1976 Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY
1961 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Selected Group Exhibitions
2010 a new leaf gallery | sculpturesite, Sonoma, CA
2009 Spanierman Gallery, East Hampton, NY
2009 Three Person Exhibit, Jonathan Novak Gallery, Century City, CA
2009 Miami Basel Art Fair, Miami, Florida.
2009 Cavalier Gallery,Stamford, CT
2009 Pam Williams Gallery, Amagansett, NY
2008 ArtHamptons, Bridgehampton , NY
2008 Sculpture Walk, Gettysburg, PA
2007 40 Years of Central Park, Lincoln Center, New York, NY
2007 Pratt Institute, NY
2006 Camino Real Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
2006 Danubiana Meulensteen Museum, Bratislava, Slovakia
2006 Westchester Sculptor’s Guild, White Plains, NY
2005-06 Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ
2005 Sculpturesite Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2005 Hillwood Art Museum, Brookville, NY
2003 Louis Meisel Gallery, New York, NY
2003 Bernarducci Meisel Gallery, New York, NY
2003 Sagaponack Sculpture Fields, Sagaponack, NY
2000 City of Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
1999 Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ
1996 Stamford Museum, Stamford, CT
1996 Michener Museum, Doylestown, PA
1988 Chicago Art Fair, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL
1982 Oakland Museum, Oakland, CA
1978 Nassau County Art Museum, NY
1978 PS1 Contemporary Art Museum, Queens, NY
1977 National Academy of Design, New York, NY
1976 American Institute of Arts & Letters, New York, NY
1973-76 Storm King Art Center, Cornwall, NY
1970 University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
1968 Colgate University, NY
1968 Stamford Museum, Stamford, CT
1965 Glassboro State College, NJ
1964 Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, TX
1963 New York University, New York, NY
Selected Major Commissions
2009 Private Client, Watermill, NY
2009 Private Client, Greenwich, CT
2006 Le Jardin, Atlanta, GA
2006 Private Client, Bridgehampton, NY
2006 Private Client, Roanoke, NY
2001 Corporate Business Park, Columbia, MD
1998 Mt. Sinai Hospital, Miami, FL
1997 Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills, CA
1996 Neiman Marcus, Paramus, NJ
1993 Mayer Collection, Denver, CO
1990 Marina Village, Alameda, CA
1988 Spring Lake, Chicago, IL
1986 Haverstraw Marina, Haverstraw, NY
1984 Christiania, Tarrytown, NY
1980 Litwin Building, New York, NY
1977 Cargill, Minneapolis, MN
1974 Parker Towers, New York, NY
1972 Jewish Institute, Lake Success, NY
1966 Levitt Headquarters, Lake Success, NY
Selected Collections
Lowe Museum, Coral Gables, FL
Estate of Nelson Rockefeller, Sleepy Hollow, NY
Boca Raton Museum of Fine Art, Boca Raton, FL
Youngstown Museum, Youngstown, OH
Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Staten Island Community College, Staten Island, NY
Georgetown Plaza Building, New York, NY
City of Toledo, Toledo, OH
Levitt Headquarters, Lake Success, NY
Dorado Beach Hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Plaza Las Americas, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Gaslight Tower, Atlanta, GA
Maryland National Bank, Baltimore, MD
Jewish Institute, Lake Success, NY
Delaware Trust Co, Wilmington, DE
Citadel, Colorado Springs, CO
Lobby 1500, Philadelphia, PA
1-80 Nebraska Bicentennial, Sidney, NE
Litwin Buildings, New York, NY
State Capitol Plaza, Lansing, MI
Marina Village, Alameda, CA
Phelps Dodge Corp., Old Greenwich, CT
Cargill, Minneapolis, MN
Awards
2003 Best Sculpture Award, Guild Hall, East Hampton, New York
1996-04 Listing, "Who's Who in American Art"
1996 Sanctuary Design Competition, Omega Holistic Health Institute, Rhinebeck, NY
1976 American Institute Arts & Letters, New York, NY
1976 Nebraska Bicentennial Sculpture Competition, Sydney, NE
1964 Emily Lowe Memorial Sculpture Award, New York, NY
Selected Professional Associations
Advisory Board, Omega Institute
Advisory Board, Institute for Symbolic Studies
Boardmember, Central Park Historical Society
New York Sculptors' Guild
International Sculpture Center
Royal Society of British Sculptors
Film Documentation
1995 “Art Farm”, Nat Boxer
1988 “Hans Van de Bovenkamp”, John Frank
1988 “Tillson Farm”, The University of Missouri
1972 “Barn on the Road”, New York University
Film Archives
1989 Allan/Lavalin Art Show, Montreal, Canada (Dorothy Gillespy)
1988 AMLI Installation, Itasca, IL
1988 “Hans’s 50th Birthday Party”
1998 Installation Trinity, Kingston, NY
1988 MoosArt Gallery, Miami, FL
1987 City Hall, City of Voorhees, NJ
1986 Documentary, Meredith La Port, Channel 17, Miami, FL
1986 Menos Sculpture Installation, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
1986 Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque, NM
Education
School of Architecture, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
BS, Science and Design, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
