Emo Verkerk

Dutch, 1955

Emo Verkerk was born in 1955 in Amsterdam and studied at Ateliers ’63 in Haarlem. He has exhibited extensively both nationally as internationally, and his work is included in many important public and private Dutch collections.

Emo Verkerk made his name with portraits, a genre that is hard to pin within the visual realm of contemporary art. Having been loyal to portrait painting ever since the turbulent start of his carreer and having explored this genre in his own way, says a lot about his consistent way of working and looking. Moving against the tide fits with the character of Emo Verkerk who uses it to his advantage in a refined way. Meanwhile he demands a lot from his viewers whom he declines to please. His quasi-naïve style is treacherous and can evoke resistance. But who looks at his work with a good eye, will be lavishly rewarded. So much painterly ability and visual richness is scarce. This headstrong artist knows intuitively which means to apply to book his profits, though a positive outcome is never guaranteed. Size, technique, material and color are used as tools in a search of unexpected visual finds and a convincing substance.

Solo exhibitions include “Graag of niet / Love me or leave me”, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, NL (2015); “Belle van Zuylen”, Willem Baars Projects, Amsterdam, NL (2015); “Emo Verkerk”, Fries Museum, Leeuwarden, NL (2000); “Nass und Trocken” Brandenburgische Kunstsammlungen, Cottbus, DE (1999); “Schilderijen, aquarellen en objecten”, Art & Project, Slootdorp, NL (1999); “Emo Verkerk”, Stadsmuseum Woerden, Woerden, NL (1997); “Emo Verkerk”, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, NL (1988), “Emo Verkerk”, Marian Goodman, New York, US (1982)

Verkerk’s work has been presented in numerous group exhibitions, including “Held op sokkel” Haags Historisch Museum/Museum de Gevangenpoort, The Hague NL (2015-6); “Wrijving van gedachten”, Antwerpen-Zundert Het Vincent van GoghHuis – Zundert NL (2015); “Facing Nature”, Museum Belvédère – Heerenveen, Oranjewoud, NL (2014); Rob Birza, Morgan Betz, Frank Koolen, Joseph Semah en Emo Verkerk, Willem Baars Art Consultancy, Amsterdam, NL (2011).

Museum and public collections include: Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (NL); Centraal Museum, Utrecht (NL); Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht (NL); Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam (NL); Rijksmuseum Twente, Enschede (NL); ABN AMRO Kunststichting, Amsterdam (NL); Kunstcollectie KPN, the Hague (NL); Akzo Nobel Art Foundation, Amsterdam (NL) and Ahold Kunst Stichting, Zaandam (NL).

Download CV (updated 05-2019)

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Emo Verkerk, Belle van Zuylen, 2014

Emo Verkerk, Belle van Zuylen, 2014

oil on panel, lacquer
57.3 x 38.9 cm

Available artworks

Emo Verkerk, Gerrit Komrij, 2023

Emo Verkerk, Gerrit Komrij, 2023

Primer and oil paint on linen
50 x 40 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Kafka's moeder, 2022

Emo Verkerk, Kafka's moeder, 2022

Primer and oil paint on linen
40 x 50 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Walter Benjamin (Pijp met Goethe), 2022

Emo Verkerk, Walter Benjamin (Pijp met Goethe), 2022

signed and dated on the reverse
oil on canvas
50 x 40 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Francis Bacon, 2022

Emo Verkerk, Francis Bacon, 2022

signed and dated on the reverse
stainless steel, oil paint on plastic
21 x 19.5 x 7 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Naar Bellini, 2022

Emo Verkerk, Naar Bellini, 2022

signed and dated on the reverse
primer and oil on canvas
50 x 40 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Zelfportret met Jamathi, 2022

Emo Verkerk, Zelfportret met Jamathi, 2022

signed, dated and titled on the reverse
primer and oil on linen, oil and cotton on wood
130.5 x 150 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Zomerreiger, 2021

Emo Verkerk, Zomerreiger, 2021

primer and oil on linen, bamboo, wood, metal
137 x 150 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Wallace Black Elk, 2021

Emo Verkerk, Wallace Black Elk, 2021

signed and dated on the reverse
oil on linen
100 x 120 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Rodeo Clown Richard Leon Winship, 2021

Emo Verkerk, Rodeo Clown Richard Leon Winship, 2021

reed, metal, wood, plastics, paint, carbolineum
97 x 47.5 x 45 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Zelfportret met Tsjip, 2019

Emo Verkerk, Zelfportret met Tsjip, 2019

signed and dated on the reverse
oil on canvas, wooden frame
with frame: 100 x 80 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Erasmus, 2019

Emo Verkerk, Erasmus, 2019

oil on canvas
80 x 60 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Portret van Don Talayesva, 2017

Emo Verkerk, Portret van Don Talayesva, 2017

oil on cotton
142 x 101 cm
Rabobank Kunstcollectie
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Studie voor Aby Warburg in Oraibi, 2017

Studie voor Aby Warburg in Oraibi, 2017

oil on linen, 90 x 70 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Victor Lamme, 2016

Emo Verkerk, Victor Lamme, 2016

signed and dated on the reverse
oil on canvas
90 x 80 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Roerdomp in paalstand, 2015

Emo Verkerk, Roerdomp in paalstand, 2015

wood, metal, lacquer paint, lacquer
118 x 37.5 x 40 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Vincent en Camus, 2015

Emo Verkerk, Vincent en Camus, 2015

oil on cotton
100 x 100 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Kerkuil, 2015

Emo Verkerk, Kerkuil, 2015

wood, masonite
80 x 69 x 69 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Vincent in Londen, 2014

Emo Verkerk, Vincent in Londen, 2014

oil on linen
70.5 x 45.5 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Dokter P. Viergever en Dokter Nausicaä Bode, 2012

Emo Verkerk, Dokter P. Viergever en Dokter Nausicaä Bode, 2012

oil on cotton
70 x 90 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Flann O' Brien, 2011

Emo Verkerk, Flann O' Brien, 2011

oil on canvas
60 x 60 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Stefan Zweig & Joseph Roth 2, 2005

Emo Verkerk, Stefan Zweig & Joseph Roth 2, 2005

Oil on masonite
61.40 x 68.50 cm
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Emo Verkerk, Atte Jongstra, 1998

Emo Verkerk, Atte Jongstra, 1998

Oil on linen
130 x 170 cm
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Publications

Emo Verkerk - Tanquam, 2020

Emo Verkerk - Tanquam, 2020

paperback, english, 2020
22 x 28 cm, 224 pages
texts by Emo Verkerk and Hans Janssen
ISBN 978-94-91525-98-8
€ 34,95
Available at uitgeverijkomma.nl
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Emo Verkerk - Graag of niet / Love me or leave me

Emo Verkerk - Graag of niet / Love me or leave me

Paperback, First Edition 2014
22 x 28 cm, 192 Pages
ISBN 9789491525384
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Emo Verkerk - de 100 mooiste tekeningen

Emo Verkerk - de 100 mooiste tekeningen

Paperback, First Edition 2009
22 x 28 cm, 163 pages
ISBN 978-9089101-31-0
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Editions

Vincent, 2015

Vincent, 2015

Signed, numbered and dated lower right corner
lithgraph on paper
Sheet size: 65 x 50 cm
Edition of 12 plus 3 artist proofs
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Vincent en Theo, 2015

Vincent en Theo, 2015

Signed, numbered and dated lower right corner
lithgraph on paper
Sheet size: 50 x 65 cm
Edition of 12 plus 3 artist proofs
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Vincent, 2015

Vincent, 2015

Signed, numbered and dated lower right corner
Etching on paper
Sheet size: 60 x 45 cm
Image size: 17,5 x 20 cm
Edition of 12 plus 3 artist proofs

€ 450,-
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