Skip to content

Rob SCHOLTE

Rob Scholte (born June 1, 1958, in Amsterdam) is a Dutch contemporary artist known for his provocative approach to appropriation and reproduction in art. He studied at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam from 1977 to 1982 and later joined the artist collective W139. In 1982, he and Sandra Derks debuted with ‘Rom 87’, a series of free-style variations on a children’s colouring book .

Scholte’s work often involves reproducing and recontextualising images from art history and popular culture. He gained international recognition with his 1985 piece ‘The Scream’, a reinterpretation of Edvard Munch’s iconic painting, which was exhibited at Documenta 8 in Kassel in 1987. In 1990, he represented the Netherlands at the Venice Biennale, and in 1995, he completed a 1,200 m² painting titled ‘Après nous le Déluge’ for the replica Huis ten Bosch palace in Nagasaki, Japan .

In 1994, Scholte suffered a life-changing event when a bomb exploded under his car, resulting in the loss of both his legs. Despite this, he continued his artistic practice, focusing on themes of reproduction and authorship. He has exhibited his work in numerous prestigious venues, including the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo .

Scholte’s work challenges traditional notions of originality and copyright, often incorporating elements of kitsch and mass production to critique the commodification of art. His exhibitions have sparked discussions on the value of art and the role of the artist in an era of mass media and digital reproduction.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2022

“Overzicht Grafiek” at Art Kitchen, Amsterdam

2021

“Reproductie Verplicht” at Museum De Fundatie, Zwolle

“Here and Now” at Pathos Gallery, Amsterdam

2018

“Rob Scholte” at Keteleer Gallery, Antwerp

“Bemoediging” at Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal, Antwerp

2017

“Never Look Back” at Kunstuitleen Gouda, Gouda

2016

“Embroidery Show” at Museum de Fundatie / Paleis aan de Blijmarkt, Zwolle

“Glossy” at IQ Kunstuitleen, Zwolle

2015

“Kunst10daagse” at ’t Posthuys, Bergen

“Glossy XL” at Amsterdam Art Center, Amsterdam

“Rob Scholte” at Eastman Gallery, Hasselt

2014

“Kunst10daagse” at Maison des Arts, Bergen

“Rob Scholte” at Kunstcentrum Haarlem, Haarlem

“Rob Scholte” at Buitenplaats De Blauwe Meije, Zegveld

“Ultra!” at KuuB, Ruimte voor Kunst en Cultuur, Utrecht

“The Best of Rob Scholte” at Galerie De Compagnie, Dordrecht

“Lucifer in Paradise” at Art Nuyens, Arnhem

2013

“Shelter” at Oda, Maastricht

“No Expo” at Odapark, Venray

“Rauch” at Teapot, Cologne

“Rob Scholte’s IQ” at IQ, Zwolle

2012

“Key Works” at Galerie Jaski, Amsterdam

“Rob Scholte” at De Boterhal, Hoorn

“Mount Lucifer in Paradise” at Galerie Frank Taal, Rotterdam

“7e Hemel” at Museum Vaals, Vaals

2011

“Silk Cut” at Museum de Fundatie, Kasteel Het Nijenhuis, Heino/Wijhe

“Glossy and Other Series” at Teapot, Cologne

“Smoke” at Galerie Delta, Rotterdam

“Zakdoeken” at PS Project Space, Amsterdam

“Glossy” at Galerie Jaski, Amsterdam

2010

“Les Cadavres Exquis des Années Quatre-Vingt” at Galerie Witteveen, Amsterdam

2009

“Embroidery” at Willem Kerseboom Modern & Contemporary Art, Amsterdam

“Blinddrukken” at Grafisch Atelier Alkmaar

“Blinddrukken” at Grafisch Atelier Hilversum

“Potten en Werken op Papier” at Galerie 32-34 / Galerie 5, Amsterdam

“Kruis naar Kracht” at Domani, Venlo

“Lucifer in Paradise” at Galerie Scala, Berlin

“Bergense School” at Galleria Leyendecker, Santa Cruz de Tenerife

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2019

“Items & Settings”, Zaal Zuid, Hengelo, NL

“Boys Don’t Cry”, Concordia, Enschede, NL

“De Naaimachine”, Stichting 6211 Kunstkwartier, Maastricht, NL

“Kunst über Kunst”, Galerie Mehdi Chouakri, Berlin, DE

“Vrijheid”, Museum De Fundatie, Zwolle, NL 

2018

“Verlangen Verstrengeling”, Stichting 6211 Kunstkwartier, Maastricht, NL

“Krasj 4”, RTT, Ninove, BE

“Indigo 69”, Museum de Fundatie (Almelo), NL

“Lebenswege”, Kasseler Kunstverein, Kassel, DE

“De wereld achter een poppenhuis”, Haags Historisch Museum, The Hague, NL

2017

The Carpet Kartellt, ANJA GRUNERT, NY

Jaski Art Gallery, Amsterdam

2016

Essentials Works of Small Format in the Collection Caam San Martín – Center of Culture

2015

“Lost and Found”, Groninger Museum, Groninger

“Wintershow”, Jaski Art Gallery, Amsterdam

“Krachtwerken”, Gemeentemuseum, Helmond

2014

“Figure That”, Galerie Frank Taal, Rotterdam

2013

“Sweat Your Art Out!”, ArtKitchen, Amsterdam

2012

“The Happy Fainting” – ZWINGER Galerie, Berlín

“Revelaciones”, CAAM (Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno), España

“33 años después, una hora antes” – Galería Leyendecker, España

2011

“Hirschfaktor – Die Kunst des Zitierens” – ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und
Medientechnologie Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe

2010

“Zomer-expositie” – Galerie Witteveen, Amsterdam

“Beeld verplaatst” – Museum Meermanno, The Hague

2009

“Pas nécessaire et pourtant indispensable”. 1979-2009 : 30 ans d’art
contemporain à Meymac – Abbaye St André – Centre d’art contemporain
Meymac, Meymac

“Berlin group show” – Galerie Saupe, Berlin

“NL.” – DREI Raum für Gegenwartskunst, Cologne

2008

“My Generation” – Art Cologne

“One in a lifetime – Formalism Today” Ferenbalm-Gurbrü Station and Mayerei, Karlsruhe

“The Hands of Art” SMAK Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Gent
Paperweight Mehdi Chouakri, Berlin

2007

“Whisper in the West” ArtKitchen Gallery, Amsterdam

“Dutch Dialogues” Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute – The Clark, Williamstown

“Strip en Kunst” Singer Museum, Laren

Museumstukken Rijksmuseum Twente, Enschede“ZEIT:ZEIT” Mehdi Chouakri, Berlin.

2006

“Spooky – the dark side of light” Het Gebouw, Utrecht

“Allstars” Jörg Heitsch Galerie, München

“Kapital” Kent Gallery, New York

“New Dutch realism” National Arts Club, New York

“Deutschland gegen Holland” (with Volker Hildebrandt) Hilton Munich City Gallery, München

“Het schilderij als spiegel” Kunstpaviljoen, Nieuw Roden

2005

“50 Jahre – Years documenta 1955 – 2005”, Kunsthalle Fridericianum, Cassel

2004

“The Dutch Show – Contemporary Dutch artists in Greek”

The Netherlands Institute, Atenas 1982

1998

“1648 – Kunst und Frieden in Europa”, Westfälisches Landesmuseum, Münster, DE

“René Magritte en de hedendaagse kunst”, PMMK, Oostende, BE

“Hotel Escuela”, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, ES

“Festival van Contrasten”, ArtKitchen Gallery, Amsterdam, NL

“Colección Dobermann”, La Granja, Tenerife, ES

1997

“Attitudes 2” (with Rob Birza), Stadsgalerij Heerlen, NL

“Tryptich”, Museum Bommel–Van Dam, Venlo, NL

“Shoes or no shoes”, De Vishal, Haarlem, NL

1996

“Corona rojo”, CAAM, Las Palmas, ES

“As far as Japan”, NBKS, Breda, NL

“Under Capricorn – The World Over”, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam & City Gallery Wellington, NZ

“KünstlerProfessorInnen”, Kasseler Kunstverein, Kassel, DE

“Niederländische Künstler in Kölner Galerien”, Galerie Hohenthal und Bergen, Cologne, DE

1995

“Pierrot: Melancholie und Maske”, Haus der Kunst, Munich, DE

“Jezus is boos”, Museum de Wieger & Museum Catharijneconvent, NL

“Today Dutch Art”, Art Harumi, Tokyo, JP 1992

“Secret of the Poet”, Stroom, The Hague, NL

“Drawings”, Za Moca Foundation, Valencia, ES

1991

“7 Year Itch”, Kunstverein Hannover, DE & Kunstforeningen København, DK

“Chronos eats Chronos”, Galleri Susanne Ottesen, Copenhagen, DK

“Drawings”, Galleria Leyendecker, Tenerife, ES

1990

“Dutch Pavilion”, Venice Biennale, Venice, IT

1989

“Tartufo–Tartuffe”, Galerie Leyendecker, Tenerife, ES

“Tartufo–Tartuffe”, Galerie Charles Cartwright, Paris, FR

1987

“documenta 8”, Kassel, DE

1985

“São Paulo Art Biennial”, São Paulo, BR