{"id":574096,"date":"2026-07-07T23:10:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T23:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/574096\/"},"modified":"2026-07-07T23:10:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T23:10:15","slug":"collin-van-der-sluijs-wanderland-imagines-a-vast-ecosystem-encompass-the-momentous-and-mundane-colossal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/574096\/","title":{"rendered":"Collin van der Sluijs’ ‘Wanderland’ Imagines a Vast Ecosystem Encompass the Momentous and Mundane \u2014 Colossal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Joy Machine and\u00a0Vertical Gallery<\/a>\u00a0are excited to share their first collaborative exhibition,\u00a0Wanderland\u00a0by\u00a0Collin van der Sluijs<\/a>. This marks the artist\u2019s sixth solo exhibition in Chicago and more than a decade in partnership with Vertical Gallery. It\u2019s his first presentation at Joy Machine.<\/p>\n

Wanderland\u00a0comprises a new body of work developed during a two-year period. Spanning enormous mixed-media paintings, intimate drawings, and skate decks bearing the artist\u2019s signature birds, the exhibition reflects both the momentous and mundane, particularly loss, grief, and the therapeutic powers of nature.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cWanderland\u201d (2026), mixed media on paper, framed<\/p>\n

A portmanteau of wander and wonderland, the title evokes van der Sluijs\u2019 continued devotion to imagining a vast, dreamlike ecosystem. For the past decade, he\u2019s produced various bodies of work as a sort of world-building exercise, intuitively selecting a blend of oil paint, acrylic, watercolor, and more to render dynamic still lifes and portraits of figures subsumed by chaos.\u00a0Wanderland\u00a0continues in this vein, once again presenting hazy bouquets that allude to the artist\u2019s Dutch heritage and a melange of symbols and markings referencing his background in street art. \u201cCollin works in such a wide range of styles\u2014like a modern twist on classical painting, with graffiti and illustration mixed in,\u201d Patrick Hull, Vertical\u2019s owner and curator, shares.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Each collection emerges through a lengthy process of trial and error, and often, van der Sluijs will work on a piece for years, even turning it around to face the wall periodically to provide a brief respite while in his studio. \u201cI really need to make big mistakes and fight my way out of it,\u201d he adds. In this way, cultivating wonder and an unceasing desire to explore his inner emotional and external landscapes is an essential part of the process.\u00a0\u00a0Wanderland\u00a0is about \u201ca walk to the visual world that you create around yourself, like wandering around. But it\u2019s also like diving into the unknown.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following a collection of darker pieces made in the early years of the pandemic,\u00a0Wanderland\u00a0emerges with more levity and hope, albeit not without difficulty and grief. While working toward the exhibition, the artist broke his ankle, rendering it impossible for him to stand while painting larger canvases hanging on the wall. Instead, he had to sit, stretching himself across the horizontal surfaces and contending with a novel, challenging mode of making.<\/p>\n

And despite his physical limitations, van der Sluijs also spent more time venturing outdoors during the last two years. Making small works on paper amid natural settings was a sort of balm in processing the recent death of a friend. \u201cAll those personal stories, they make the context of a show,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cFloater #2\u201d (2026), mixed media on canvas, 7 x 9.4 inches<\/p>\n

To celebrate more than a decade of collaborations, Vertical Gallery published a book commemorating the occasions, titled\u00a0Wanderland: 1991-2026<\/a>.\u00a0Its pages juxtapose the artist\u2019s exploits as a painter, muralist, and graffiti writer with the more personal moments that define his roles as husband, son, father, and friend.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wanderland\u00a0runs from July 10 to August 22.\u00a0An opening reception<\/a>\u00a0will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on July 10. The artist will be present.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cWhite Line Sphinx Moth drawing\u201d (2026), mixed media on paper, framed, 8.3 x 11.7 inches<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cLoose Lips Sink Ships\u201d (2026), oil on canvas, 72 x 82 inches<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cBird study #2\u201d (2026), mixed media on paper, framed, 14.2 x 18.7 inches<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>\u201cTranslated Watercolor XL #2\u201d (2026), acrylic, ink, pencil, and oilsticks on canvas, 53 x 76 inches<\/p>\n

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