rob birza (1962)
Rob Birza is a Dutch painter and sculptor living and working in Amsterdam.
Rob Birza studied at the Academy of Visual Arts Sint-Jost in Breda and at Atelier '63 in Haarlem. He initially painted paintings, gouaches, and watercolors and quickly gained recognition in the Dutch art scene. The artist combined medieval painting techniques with contemporary subjects borrowed from comic books and television series. In his work, he regularly referenced the works of modern masters, contrasting banality and high art. Figural canvases and abstract compositions alternate with colorful still lifes with flowers and large-format paintings depicting scenes of the Afghan war.
Since the 1990s, Rob Birza has also begun to create installations with figures made of styrofoam, papier-mâché and other materials. These figures often contrasted sharply with the paintings. Birza also combined furniture like chairs and lamps in his works.
Rob Birza's work has been widely exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions both nationally and internationally and is included in many private and public collections.