Old trees in autumn (2024) Painting by Auke Mulder

Auke Mulder is a contemporary Dutch painter whose work is deeply rooted in exploring the relationship between imagination and reality, as well as the origin of human desire. He contemplates desire as a distant horizon, one that never gets closer, always moving as one approaches it. This philosophical approach underpins his creative process, where questions remain unsolved and continuously evolve in search of new meaning and form. For Mulder, distance is something elusive, not fully accessible, but it is from this distance that today's reality finds its color and ultimate form.

In his painting process, Mulder embraces an organic approach, where things unfold in a controlled yet unpredictable manner. The reality he seeks to depict is not visually pre-planned, but instead exists in an abstract and undefined state, shaped by the human capacity for imagination. His work blends two styles: lyrical abstraction and abstract expressionism.

What drives Mulder in his abstract portrayal of reality is the quest for a visual language that can convey the intensity of his perception. He aims to capture the essence of things—where form is still in its embryonic phase, full of potential and open to infinite possibilities. For him, this authentic representation of life and its evolving processes is at the heart of his artistic expression.