Peter Blokhuis was born in Amersfoort in 1938. The painter studied at the Koninklijk Academie van Beeldende Kunsten (Royal Academy of Fine Arts) in The Hague (1956-1959) and at the Académie de la Grand Chaumière in Paris (1964). Drawing, which he studied extensively, is the building block of his artistic process. Indeed, Blockhuis captures snapshots in time, whether in coffee houses, waiting rooms, stations, at bus stops or on squares. The artist will settle down and record any place that offers a semblance of human stillness. Marrakech, The Hague, Brussels, each specific context offers its own specific opportunities and subjects. To help himself ‘capture’ life, Blokhuis travels the world with his camera, drawing pad and a plastic bag. In the latter, he collects pieces ripped from posters and advertisements, taking a piece of visual media back with him.
Conceptually, Blokhuis’ art is structured along the idea of antithesis, which can manifest itself in the most surprising, subtle or unexpected ways. Hope and resignation, pacifism and aggression, trust and betrayal are juxtaposed to allow Blokhuis to shape more abstract concepts, give them substance and a figurative incarnation.
The way the artist approaches representation is similarly balanced. Indeed, he considers that any successful figurative depiction must function equally well as an abstract painting. Only then will the intangible oppositions he has explored be given true meaning.
Throughout the years, Blokhuis has accumulated various international accolades, including the Europe Prize in 1964, the French Government Scholarship in 1964, the Royal Grant for Painting in 1971, the Jacob Hartog Prize in 1977, the Poort Prize in 1981 and the Travel Grant Visual Arts W.V.C. in 1986.
From an artist, Blokhuis became a teacher at the Willem de Kooning Academie in Rotterdam later in life. His notable students include Peter Harskamp, René de Jong, Antoinette Kok and Paul Wessels, among others. He is also a member of the Pulchri Studio in The Hague.
