Rob Birza

Dutch, 1962

Rob Birza was born in Geldrop, the Netherlands and studied at de Ateliers in Amsterdam. His work has been shown extensively in numerous solo exhibitions as well as group exhibitions both nationally and internationally. His work has been included in many private and public collections. He lives and works in Amsterdam.

Rob Birza has undeniably already had an impressive career ; two solo exhibition in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam during his twenties, numerous exhibitions throughout Europe in the past four decades and he has executed a multitude of public commissions all over the Netherlands.

Though a first glance at his oeuvre might be confusing; playful takes on Stella’s shaped canvases and Schwitters-esque abstract compositions are alternated by colourful still lives with flowers and grand paintings depicting scenes of the Afghan war. Curator and director Ann Demeester of the Frans Hals museum pointed out while introducing his series from 2016 (Shifting Circles), that throughout this oeuvre there always one constant : the fragile line between abstract and figurative. In the Shifting Circles series (2016) this was pre-eminently displayed through a play between background and foreground and a system to which the circles of colour seemed to stick.

In his most recent series, titled Drifting Circles (2017), Birza has chosen to abandon symmetry and to take a more loose approach to his system of circles. The artist is not afraid to revert to a lazy and mischievous approach in order to undermine his own system and painting in general. Rebellion creates new opportunities and possibilities. It is precisely this type of anarchy that played a defining role in the development of abstract art.

Solo exhibitions include “Shifting Circles”, Willem Baars Projects, Amsterdam, NL (2016) ; “From the blue play till shifting circles”, De Nederlandsche Bank, Amsterdam, NL (2016); “Cold Fusion 2000”, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, NL (2000) ; “Cosy Monsters from Inner Space (the drawings)”, De Pont Foundation, Tilburg, NL (1998) “REAL. My Fucking Kangaroo is damn right!”, De Vleeshal, Middelburg, NL (1994); “Birza”, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, NL (1991); “First Blossom”, galerie van Krimpen, Amsterdam, NL (1988)

Group exhibitions include; “Opwinding”, curated by Rudi Fuchs, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, NL (2016); “Een reis door de Collectie”, curated by Carel Blotkamp, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, NL (2005); Cairo Biennial, Cairo, EG (2001); “Surfacing. Contemporary Drawing, I.C.A, London, UK (1998) “Flemish and Dutch Painting”, Curated by Rudi Fuchs and Jan Hoet- Palazzo Grassi, Venice, IT (1997) and “Deep in the woods (De Muze als Motor- Beeldende Kunst in Brabant- 1945-1996)”, Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam, NL (1996)

Download Biography and CV (updated July 2017)

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Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XXV, 2023

Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XXV, 2023

Egg tempera on canvas
130 x 100 cm

Available artworks

Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XXV, 2023

Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XXV, 2023

Egg tempera on canvas
130 x 100 cm
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Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XXVII, 2024

Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XXVII, 2024

Egg tempera on canvas
130 x 100 cm
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Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XVI, 2023

Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XVI, 2023

egg tempera on canvas
110 x 135 cm
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Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XXI, 2022

Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XXI, 2022

egg tempera on canvas
130 x 100 cm
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Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XII, 2021

Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XII, 2021

egg tempera on canvas
110 x 135 cm
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Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XI, 2021

Rob Birza, Fake Flowers XI, 2021

egg tempera on canvas
120 x 100 cm
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Rob Birza, Weather Station, 2021

Rob Birza, Weather Station, 2021

egg tempera on canvas
110 x 95 cm
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Rob Birza, Floating Circles IV, 2018

Rob Birza, Floating Circles IV, 2018

egg tempera on canvas
130 x 100 cm
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Rob Birza, Vase, 2017

Rob Birza, Vase, 2017

glazed ceramics
45.5 x 30 x 18 cm
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Rob Birza, Vase, 2017

Rob Birza, Vase, 2017

glazed ceramics
37 x 33 x 28 cm
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Rob Birza, Drifting Circles IX, 2017

Rob Birza, Drifting Circles IX, 2017

Egg Tempera on linen, 130 x 110 cm
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Rob Birza, Shifting Circles XII, 2016

Rob Birza, Shifting Circles XII, 2016

egg tempera on linen, 130 x 105 cm
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Rob Birza, Systems in warped space 08, 2013

Rob Birza, Systems in warped space 08, 2013

egg tempera on linen, 130 x 105 cm
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Rob Birza, Shifting Systems III, 2011

Rob Birza, Shifting Systems III, 2011

egg tempera on canvas, 180 x 200 cm
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Rob Birza, Untitled, 2011

Rob Birza, Untitled, 2011

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Rob Birza, Untitled

Rob Birza, Untitled

2011
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Rob Birza, Arab Man I

Rob Birza, Arab Man I

egg tempera
115 x 85 cm
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Rob Birza, It is all metamorphoses / It is all about love, 2011

Rob Birza, It is all metamorphoses / It is all about love, 2011

ceramics glazed with mixed colors, sewer pipe 110 x 55 x 55 cm
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Publications

Rob Birza, 1991

Rob Birza, 1991

Museum Catalogue
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam. Cat. no. 750
24 x 28 cm, 64 pages
ISBN 90-5006-056-0
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Rob Birza - Cold Fusion, 2000

Rob Birza - Cold Fusion, 2000

Paperback
Museum Catalogue
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam. Cat. no. 846
24 x 28 cm, 144 pages
ISBN 90-5662-175-0
sold out
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