CORNERED
A SOLO EXHIBITION BY ARNOUT KILLIAN

April 19 – June 1
You are cordially invited to the festive opening of the solo exhibition by Arnout Killian

Opening
Saturday April 19
3 – 5 pm

Address
NL=US Gallery
Mauritsweg 55B, 3012 JX, Rotterdam


EXHIBITION STATEMENT

In a world where media plays an all-encompassing role, we are constantly being influenced—often without realizing it. Power manifests itself subtly, creeping in and steering us in directions we believe we have chosen ourselves. Facts are suppressed, decisions are shaped, and what initially appears to be objective turns out to be a carefully constructed reality.

Killian’s paintings explore this dynamic through layered symbolism. The recognizable imagery from the media serves as an entry point, but beneath the surface lies a deeper meaning. He plays with the tension between realism and abstraction, where the forms that emerge in his work carry profound symbolic significance.
In addition to painting, he also photographs his own subjects—moments and fragments from reality that evoke an oppressive feeling. These images serve as a starting point for the paintings, in which he does not impose a single interpretation on the viewer but instead invite reflection. The boundary between what he sees and what remains hidden, between what is imposed and what is truly our own, is at the heart of Killian’s work.

Through his realistic technique, he explores the fragile balance between familiarity and alienation, between manipulation and free will. The works raises questions without offering definitive answers, encouraging a critical perspective on the world we live in.

View the works on Galleryviewer