SANDER DE KLERK / Dutch, born in 1975
WORKS
IN THE STUDIO WITH SANDER DE KLERK
SILK PAPER
Sander de Klerk has been exploring silk paper collage for many years. A delicate, intrinsically fragile material, it offers the artist an ever-changing playground of detail and chromatic nuance - a multitude of effects that emerge unpredictably during the creative process. The spontaneity allowed by this technique, in which layers can be added or subtracted quickly, opens up an immense space of freedom, conducive to a constant reinvention of form and composition. In this way, Sander de Klerk's work is characterized by both thematic and stylistic diversity, the common denominator being the constant use of silk paper.
The artist declares: "Silk paper, with its texture, folds, cracks and tonal variations, is an incredible source of inspiration. Its fragility invites a sensitive approach, while its random ‘behavior’ opens up an infinite field of possibilities. Being able to quickly add or remove layers of paper allows me to test and refine my ideas without too many material constraints. This intuitive process - guided as much by chance as by intention - gives rise to complex compositions that sometimes surprise even myself!
In the end, I think it's this gesture, the act of channelling the unpredictable into a coherent form, that gives me the desire to create."
CAREER
Born in the Netherlands in 1975, Sander de Klerk graduated from the Design Academy in Eindhoven in 2000, and has worked for almost twenty years as a graphic, object and interior designer. In 2018, following a move to South Africa, he made a career change and embraced the life of an artist. His first paintings were quickly noticed and exhibited in galleries in Johannesburg and Cape Town. There, they found the recognition of collectors who accompanied his ascent, offering him a tangible and legitimate basis for continuing his approach.
Returning to Europe in 2020, he settled in Belgium (where he still lives and works today), expanded his plastic vocabulary and began exhibiting in galleries and art fairs. After several years of experimenting with different techniques and materials, Sander de Klerk finally turned to collage. He then discovered the immense potential of tissue paper, long used in art for its multiple virtues, and which became the common base for all his work.
In 2025, he began his collaboration with Tournemine Gallery.
Gallery exhibitions
YEBO gallery (Eswatini, South Africa, 2018-2020)
Agog gallery (Johannesburg, South Africa, 2018)
In Toto gallery (Johannesburg, South Africa, 2018)
AITY gallery (Franschhoek, South Africa, 2019-)
The Young One gallery (Cape Town, South Africa, 2019)
Hout bay gallery (Cape Town, South Africa, 2019-2020)
Art Africa gallery (Cape Town, South Africa, 2019-2020)
MOK Gallery (Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2019)
Mizart Gallery (Zuttendaal, Belgium, 2023)
Sunday Art gallery (Sint-Truiden, Belgium, 2023-2025)
Tournemine Gallery (La Baule, France, 2025-)
Art fairs
Affordable Art Fair, Amsterdam, 2024
Affordable Art Fair, Brussels, 2024 & 2025
Lille Art Up, 2025
Discovery Art Fair, Cologne, 2025
