An Interpretation of Landscape, Draped in Color
Gé Verhulst (1932–2020) was an artist who lived and worked with an intense awareness of his surroundings. His early career was marked by a mastery of various artistic disciplines, including stained-glass windows, murals, mosaics, and sculptural play structures. From the 1980s onward, he shifted his focus to autonomous painting, drawn to the expressive possibilities of the landscape. Unlike traditional landscape painters who strive for a faithful representation of nature, Verhulst sought to capture its essence—the emotional and sensory impact of a place rather than its exact visual appearance. The landscapes he painted are not meant to be precise locations but rather universal experiences—reflections of how nature is felt rather than seen. Verhulst’s vision—of landscapes felt rather than simply seen—seamlessly aligns with Gogetti’s ethos, where heritage is not just preserved but reinterpreted for a new era. One of his original pieces lives on in the Gogetti flagship store in Eindhoven, where the past and present meet in a landscape of creativity.
Verhulst immerses himself fully in the landscape, attuned to its rhythms and sensations. Rather than replicating nature, he distills its essence—capturing the rhythm of the wind, the weight of the sky, the tension of space. His bold, expressive brushstrokes evoke movement and energy, transforming fleeting impressions of light and atmosphere into dynamic compositions. This approach imparts a rare depth to his work: it doesn’t merely document a moment in time, but fosters an ongoing dialogue between nature, the artist, and the viewer.
While many of his pieces are created on-site, Verhulst also created a significant portion of his collection—drawings, watercolors, and oil paintings—in his studio, where the spontaneity and energy of his expressive brushwork remain intact. His legacy extends beyond the canvas, resonating like an echo of the landscapes that once stirred his vision—continuing to evolve, breathe, and inspire.