Jo
Johan Claassen, born in 1943 in Beek en Donk, grew up as a farmer’s son and attended the Academy for Art and Industry (AKI) between 1963 and 1966. He dabbles in a variety of mediums, including assemblage art, sculpture, painting, drawing, and printmaking. Throughout the years, he has also imparted his knowledge at various academies.
He currently resides and works in the forests of Brakel with his wife, artist Dorien Melis. Some recurring themes in his work include the human laboring in nature, love, and everyday happiness. He documents found objects and incorporates them into his associative assemblages. He once built a cloud observatory near the Ijsselmeer. He also created aeolographies by letting the wind create drawings. On long car journeys, he let the centrifugal force guide his hand. In his book “AEOLOS” (2009), he delves into what drives him.
The artwork of Johan Claassen can be found in prestigious collections such as the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the Beelden aan Zee Museum in Scheveningen.
www.ftn-books.com has the Nijmeegs MUseum poster for his exhibition now available.
