Wilgo Vijfhoven

“Women is what fascinates me most, I am captivated by their beauty and also intrigued by their strength and resilience during hardship and other setbacks.”

Wilgo Vijfhoven studied at the Nola Hatterman Art Academy in Suriname and at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Jamaica. Wilgo spent many years teaching at the Nola Hatterman Art Academy and currently works for the directorate of Culture.

In his art he is often preoccupied with the subject that most fascinates him: women. He is captivated by their beauty, but he is also intrigued by the strength and resilience of women during hardship and other setbacks. Vijfhoven prefers to paint women naked, because as an artist he is awed by the beauty of the female form. His work occasionally includes certain types of fruit that subtly mirror the female form. He does not paint a perfect realistic likeness, but has developed his own unique style of subtle silhouettes and outlines. He allows the natural flow of his watered down acrylic paint to inspire the forms and compositions on his canvas.

His sensual subjects are done predominantly in striking red against a bright yellow background, occasionally contrasted with bright greens or blues. Upon careful inspection, other artfully disguised elements such as fish or birds can also be detected amongst the clever compositions of Vijfhoven.

Since 2018 Wilgo has also been using the technique of pyrography (wood burning) to create various types of artistic images on wood and wooden objects.

Work Experiences

  • 2002: Workshop in etching at the Amsterdam printing atelier, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
  • 2001: Special project – St. Vincentius Hospital Mural, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2001: Special project – Saron Mural “Children’s rights”, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2000: Special project – Millenium painting Ernst&Young, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 1997: Special project – Mural for the Dutch Embassy, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 1988 – 2016: Art teacher at the Nola Hatterman Institute, Paramaribo, Suriname

Exhibitions

  • 2023 “Hakka Opera in Suriname”, Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2023 “Muddy Waters”, Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2023 “Beyond Bondage”, Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2023 ‘Sarnami, Hai; Suriname, I am’ in commemoration of 150 years of Hindustani Immigration, Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2023 CULTURAL CURRENTS: Miami meets Paramaribo, Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2023 ECOLOGY – 30 years Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2023 “OPO YARI” curated by visual artist Kurt Nahar, Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2022 BIGI SPIKRI – Reflecting on the cultural and social significance of head coverings, Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2022 Atlantic World Art Fair on Artsy platform
  • 2022 ‘UDUBAKI’ part two – a new inspiration from the term and custom Koiwara of the Kariña, Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2021 ‘Nude beauty’, Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2021 COVID: Collecting Our Voices in the Caribbean and its Diaspora, Virtual exhibition of MAC (Museums Association of the Caribbean)
  • 2020 IN THE FACE OF CHANGE exhibition, Readytex Art Gallery, Suriname
  • 2018 National Art Fair exhibition in Readytex Art Gallery, Suriname
  • 2018 25th Anniversary exhibition, Readytex Art Gallery, Suriname
  • 2017 TNF of October “Beastly”, Readytex Art Gallery, Suriname
  • 2017 TNF of May “Open House”, Readytex Art Gallery, Suriname
  • 2015 Opening exhibition new location Readytex Art Gallery, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2014 Circus Terminal, international traveling exhibition, De Hal, Suriname
  • 2014 WAT, RAG group exhibition, De Hal, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2013 Exhibition 20 years Readytex Art Gallery, De Hal, Suriname
  • 2012 National Art Fair, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2012 Solo exhibition “Rood”, RAG in De Hal, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2012 Revealing our stored treasures, RAG in De Hal, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2011 National Art Fair, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2010 Vredig, Vrij en Vriendelijk, De Hal, Paramaribo, Suriname
  • 2010 Colourful Friendships, Queens Park Gallery, Barbados
Artist works

Readytex Exhibitions