Emo Verkerk was born in Amsterdam in 1955. In 1977, Verkerk, then a student of philosophy at the University of Amsterdam, came across an interview of Francis Bacon by David Sylvester. This introduction to the English master marked a turning point: Verkerk decided to create a form of painting he likes to describe as ‘philosophy in practice’. He produced three drawings of Bacon following his discovery and enrolled in the Ateliers ’63 the following year.
For his entire career, Verkerk has been stubbornly faithful to what, at the time, was widely considered an obsolete genre: portraiture. He has captured the likeness of celebrated figures such as Edgar Allan Poe, Frank Zappa, Aby Warburg and Wallace Black Elk, but also lesser-known or unknown writers, philosophers, cartoonists, musicians, magicians and even shamans. As the artist explains: ‘You can see my portraits as an allegorical diary: the persons whom I paint represent thoughts or ideas that occupied my mind or struck me. It’s about empathy. See it as a tribute, a present to the person portrayed’.
Yet Verkerk is equally stubborn in his presentations of these portraits as he is loyal to his genre of choice. Photographic likeness is too easy. Too complacent. The artist favours an interpretative depiction, involving real-life individuals becoming characters in Verkerk’s graphic world. This perceptive shift is presented as such to the spectator. Indeed, his distinctive style is not as explicit as you might expect in the realm of portraiture and therefore resists passive recognition, drawing in the viewer.
Verkerk’s solo exhibitions include: Graag of niet / Love me or leave me, Gemeentemuseum, Den Haag (2015); Belle van Zuylen, Willem Baars Projects, Amsterdam (2015); Emo Verkerk, Fries Museum, Leeuwarden (2000); Nass und Trocken, Brandenburgische Kunstsammlungen, Cottbus (1999); Schilderijen, aquarellen en objecten, Art & Project, Slootdorp (1999); Emo Verkerk, Stadsmuseum Woerden, Woerden (1997); Emo Verkerk, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (1988), Emo Verkerk, Marian Goodman, New York (1982).
The artist’s work has been presented in numerous group exhibitions, including: Held op sokkel, Haags Historisch Museum/Museum de Gevangenpoort, The Hague (2015-2016); Wrijving van gedachten, Antwerpen-Zundert Het Vincent van Gogh Huis, Zundert (2015); Facing Nature, Museum Belvédère, Heerenveen, Oranjewoud (2014); Rob Birza, Morgan Betz, Frank Koolen, Joseph Semah en Emo Verkerk, Willem Baars Art Consultancy, Amsterdam (2011).
