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1033 RC Amsterdam
Netherlands

+31 (0)20 2629913

Beautiful Distress was founded on the concept that there is a great deal of mental suffering, that not enough people are aware of this and that not enough is done to stop it.

The Foundation uses art in an attempt to open up the world of psychiatry and battle the stigma attached to it.

Why art? Beautiful Distress believes that art is pre-eminently capable of articulating and depicting the human condition

Aldo van den Broek

Aldo van den Broek

Aldo van den Broek

Beautiful Distress (Tulips), 2015

Beautiful Distress I, 2015

Relation to Beautiful Distress - Aldo van den Broek participated in the Beautiful Distress residency project in King's County Hospital Center (Brooklyn)  with support from Residency Unlimited. During his 3 months residency (march - may 2015) Aldo van den Broek worked in the Recovery and Well Being Unit at KCHC.

Aldo described some of his experiences at KCHC in his blog 'G-Builing Diaries' (dutch language).

About the artist - Aldo van den Broek began practicing painting in the city of Amsterdam, which began in his early twenties. He used to live in a 1000m2 squat, where he painted together with a group of artists that later formed the Biltzkrieg collective. Due to this method of learning, Aldo is autodidactic in his work. When he was offered the chance to move to Berlin, Van den Broek decided to do so. In Berlin, he found focus and concentration that he hadn’t had before, so he was able to develop his very own style as an artist. Van den Broek is known for his huge, multi-layered, outspoken paintings and collages. History, underground, punk and romanticism, architecture and people meet in his works. He is fascinated by the urge of people to strive for safety and freedom simultaneously and the deconstruction that normally follows. In the organic process of Van den Broek, his paintings are constantly transforming. “The end result should show you that it wasn’t just some cardboard pasted together and then painted. The process has many layers and gradually gets his final form.” 

further information about Aldo van den Broek
Artist website
Gallary Ron Mandos
Instagram

about the residency
Residency Unlimited
G-Building Diaries

press and articles
Dutch culture USA
Artist Talk - Residency Unlimited
Fernweh
Interview
Expositie in Rijksmuseum Twenthe 2020