Robbin van Nuil

My name is Robbin van Nuil 

I'm currently in my fourth year of illustration studies. I primarily paint, illustrate, and etch. For me, it's a form of creating meaning. Portraying emotion and observation is centuries old, and in my opinion, meaning lies primarily in providing symbolic value that people can relate to. I believe art serves the same function as dreams. The only difference is that art has manifested itself in reality and can thus be experienced by different people. I enjoy playing with ambiguity and evoking conflicting associations. I want to confuse the viewer but also encourage them to learn to see the meaning of a work for themselves. The first glance should be followed by reconsideration; making room for new ideas and thoughts is one of the highest achievable goals in my view: giving new meaning to the contemporary world. Especially in a world where people are trapped in ideological convictions, it's good to break free from their worldview.

I always begin a piece with a feeling I can't explain; there's an urgency to explore it. I try to consciously observe my thoughts and the associations that arise, which ones resonate with this feeling, and what they might mean. I never determine what a piece is about while I'm creating it; usually, I can only determine the source of the urgency later. A good piece creates space for the future and reflects the zeitgeist. That's what I want to achieve and what I'm living towards.