Frank Willems

Visual artist Frank Willems was born and raised in the city of ’s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. After a 6-month trip through Australia and Asia, he moved to Sweden, where he started studying Shoe Design. At this point, Frank discovered his interest in art and started experimenting himself with, amongst others, drawing and painting. Today, he lives in his hometown again. Frank uses acrylic, watercolour markers, spray paint and crayons for his work. He prefers to reuse old and used materials (e.g. wood, doors, shoeboxes, packages), often forming the base of his creations. Frank’s work is characterized by the contrast between the used look of the materials and the bright colours he uses. In this way, he wants to show that through colour, old and used objects can be given a ‘new life’. Additionally, he finds it fascinating to think about new and different uses for everyday objects. Frank gets his inspiration from personal experiences, societal– and political subjects. By translating these issues in a childlike and humorous way, he aims for his works to be thought-provoking amongst his audience. Artist like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Wayne White, Keith Haring and Henri Matisse are great sources of inspiration to him.