werner bronkhorst

‘On The Right Track’ was the flat layout of the circuit I painted on Lando’s Helmet. I needed to create an artwork on canvas with this exact track and three variations of cars Lando has driven throughout his career with @mclarenf1 before I could recreate it again on his physical helmet. It was like working backwards to move forwards. A process that was new to me but one that I thoroughly enjoyed🏎️ ‘On The Right Track’ 132 x 102cm Acrylic Polymer in Canvas This artwork was part of a collaborative project with @Lando Norris and will not be for sale. For more information about future releases, please join my mailing list via my website. #wernerbronkhorst #lasvegasgp #landonorris

True story. This wasn’t a straight forward project. I had never before painted on a 3D object, let alone an F1 Helmet. There was another catch: somehow the artwork had to be replicated onto his actual racing helmet. The solution was to paint two seperate artworks a few weeks before which had to be scanned and printed onto the helmet. Afterwards I had to replicate that exact design using by applying my thick paint onto an actual F1 helmet before painting each little figure and logo by hand. This process took far longer than expected, causing me to have to finish the artwork on the plane to Los Angeles and in the hotel in Las Vegas where it was finally revealed to @Lando Norris at our collaborative concept store. Can’t wait to do something like this again.

‘Mirage’ is now finally available to collect! This is one of the largest pieces in my ‘CRACK’ collection and features a tiny lady in her swimsuit relaxing on a watermelon pool float. I wanted the illusion of a pool to appear as a little mirage in a sand filled desert landscape which is why there is such a stark contrast in scale. This artwork is currently on auction. For more information please head to my website! ‘Mirage’ 153 x 183cm Acrylic Polymer on Canvas #wernerbronkhorst #crack #mirage

THANK YOU DUBAI Over 10,000 visitors from all over Dubai and the UAE made their way through the 4 rooms in this exhibition this weekend and goodness gracious I’m beyond grateful. Dubai is a mind blowing city that embraces rapid change, diverse cultures and of course, good art. Having hosted the debut of my eighth collection ‘CRACK’ here meant the world to me- TRULY. Thank you to absolutely everyone who joined me for my biggest solo show. Thank you to @ruthbradleyconsulting for ensuring the whole Middle East knew about this exhibition, thank you to the crew that did the installation overnight and of course to my team who made the magic happen. Shkran, Dubai!

‘The Pilgrimage’ is perhaps my most significant artwork ever. My biggest yet, the most complex and unique and also the most personal. The background: My friend @jeffreyjkieffer took a photo of the Namibian desert that really struck a chord. Not only was the photo itself stunning but so too was the location. My grandfather grew up in Namibia and I’ve been lucky enough to spend time there both as a young kid and again before I moved to Australia six years ago. The vast, overwhelming landscapes envelop you immediately and you realise just how small and insignificant you are in this world. The colours: I chose three colours overall: a deep Cartier red and burgundy for the sand dune itself and a dusty colour for the sky. These rich colours are packed with emotion and symbolism which adds to the overwhelming feeling you get when standing in front of these seven canvases. Each colour itself was made up of three individual pigments, adding to the number 3, which represents holiness and wholeness. The composition: Seven canvases represent the seven days of the week, a reference to time and its importance in our lives. Journeys such as a pilgrimage can often take weeks, if not months to complete but time becomes irrelevant because of the importance of the journey itself. The subjects: This family was painted in the centre of the canvas but at first glance you don’t recognise their presence. A man leads a camel with two kids on top. His wife leads from behind. I purposely chose them to represent Charli, our kids, Juno (our dog) and myself by painting this family of five moving through the desert on a long arduous journey. We travel so much for my career that we often end up living out of our Rimowa suitcases for weeks on end. As such I included two aluminium crates on the side of the camel’s humps. The technique. I normally paint with my canvases on the floor. This time the artwork was so big that I had to lean the canvases against the wall, fighting gravity with every stroke of thick paint. The title references Paulo Coehlo’s follow up book to ‘The Alchemist’ - a book that changed my life and one that revolved around a deeply personal and spiritual journey.

‘Hang In There’ is perhaps the most colourful artwork I’ve ever created. I was part of a climbing club in high school and even now I love spending time with friends while climbing. It’s a sport that requires as much mental strength and strategy as it does physical stamina and a sport that truly challenges you in every way. This canvas is one of the largest in my ‘CRACK’ collection which is being exhibited in Dubai this week. It’s also one of my favourites which is why it won’t be for sale. You will however be able to get your hands on a limited edition print which will be available soon. Only 66 were made so I would suggest you join my mailing list to find out when it will be released. ‘Hang In There’ 168 x 142.5cm Acrylic and Acrylic Gel on Canvas #crack #wernerbronkhorst #hanginthere

‘Three Shades Of Grey’ is part of an ongoing series of Rothko-inspired tennis courts. This time I made a piece inspired by the colours of Laver Cup for my CRACK collection. Although abstract art is intrinsically devoid of any representation of real or existing landscapes and subjects I always looked for the ‘real’ world in abstract paintings. Especially those of colour field painters like Mark Rothko. I love the interplay between the real and the abstract, the big and the small. The rough texture and the smooth detail. ‘Three Shades of Grey’ is part of my ‘Crack’ collection which will be exhibited in Dubai early next year. Limited edition prints and original artworks will be made available online after my show. For more information and updates straight to your inbox, please consider joining my mailing list via my website. ‘Three Shades of Grey’ 32 x 42cm Acrylic Polymer on Canvas #wernerbronkhorst #crack #threeshadesofgrey

‘Horseplay’ is an ironic title for a sport so focused on precision and beauty. Dressage requires a lot of patience and discipline- qualities that I aim for in my daily practice as an artist. It’s for that reason that I chose to make this a statement piece in my current ‘CRACK’ collection which will be exhibited in Dubai next week. It also took the most time to paint which is why I wanted to present it as a printed edition limited to only 33 copies. For more information please join my mailing list via my website. ‘Horseplay’ 103 x 103cm Acrylic Polymer on Canvas #wernerbronkhorst #crack #horseplay

When I first came up with the concept for this collection I wanted to visualise all the different ways in which the word ‘CRACK’ can be interpreted. That word made me think of dry and barren areas which instantly reminded me of the makeshift soccer fields you’d find in dry, sandy areas. I recall going to remote communities in Mozambique with my dad and playing football with the local kids. It was rough in every way. No strict rules, no soft landings, just the pure childish desire to kick a ball around. I wanted that memory to be captured in an artwork forever. ‘Play Rough’ 102 x 133cm Acrylic Polymer on Canvas This artwork is part of my ‘Crack’ collection which will be exhibited in Alserkal Avenue, Dubai next week. For more information please join my newsletter via my website. #crack #wernerbronkhorst #playrough

‘Country Road’ features four finely painted figures walking on a dusty coloured crossing with their cowboy hats and whips. Every collection features a parody artwork to ‘Abbey Road’ and since this current collection is named ‘CRACK’ I instantly thought of cowboys and cowgirls cracking their whips. Although this artwork won’t be for sale, printed editions limited to 99 will be made available online after my exhibition in Dubai next week. ‘Country Road’ 31 x 42cm Acrylic and Acrylic Polymer on Canvas The best way to find out about releases is to join my email newsletter via my website 🫶🏼 #wernerbronkhorst #crack #countryroad

My favourite part about finishing a painting isn’t that it’s complete but rather that I get to drive it to the company that scans all my artworks for provenance. No all my artworks are small enough to fit inside the car so I often end up strapping them to the roof of our @porscheaus Panamera Turbo S For an artwork named ‘Ballin’ this car completely suits the vibe 🤌🏼

A sucker for love and a sucker for this artwork. I chose this title as a slight nod to the game of tennis. ‘Love’ means ‘nothing’. Literally. But of course all tennis players will know that there is a lot of intense dedication, sacrifice and of course LOVE involved in the game. What I love most about this piece isn’t so much the result but rather the process. This was one of the first artworks I pursued last year while creating this CRACK collection. At the time Florence was with me in the studio a lot and as you can see, precious moments were made with her sitting on my lap and simply watching me paint. This artwork will be one of only 4 artworks for sale at my upcoming exhibition in Dubai. Please join my mailing list via my website for more information. ‘All For Love’ Acrylic and Acrylic Gel on Canvas 103 x 132cm #wernerbronkhorst #crack #allforlove

‘Mind The Gap’ ‘Mind The Gap’ is my interpretation of a rock-climber making his way up in between the large gap or crack of an imaginary valley. 🧗🏽 It’s not quite evident how long the journey really is because we can’t see the bottom nor the top of the valley but the fade of blues in the sky and his placement suggests he’s hopefully reaching his destination soon. 🏞️ The colours I chose for the base were deep orange reds and browns which gave it the kind of look and feel of large rock formations typically found in deserts in Australia and North America. This crazy climber seems to be blissfully at peace despite what would be a dangerous and difficult task. 🏜️ The title ‘Mind The Gap’ is from the well known public service announcement in London trains. During the months we spent living in London, those words stuck with me as being the perfect title for this kind of artwork. ‘Mind The Gap’ 198.5 x 102cm Acrylic Polymer on Canvas ‘Mind The Gap’ will be shown at my upcoming exhibition in Dubai and will be made available for sale once the collection is released online. To receive updates on this upcoming release, please consider joining my mailing list. #wernerbronkhorst #crack #mindthegap

‘Caravan Life’ Caravan Life is a saturated desert painting in intense orange. A caravan of six camels are seen moving across dunes that seem to continue beyond the frame. There’s a fine balance between the overwhelming feeling you get when standing in front of the work, and the calm that comes with it. It is both vast and quiet, making it one of the most atmo- spheric pieces in my CRACK collection. This artwork will be one of the hero pieces in my upcoming show in Dubai. I hope to see you there. ‘Caravan Life’ 162 x 123cm Acrylic Polymer on Canvas This artwork won’t be for sale. A small selection of printed canvas editions will be available during the release of this CRACK collection. For more information please consider joining my mailing list via my website. #wernerbronkhorst #crack #caravanlife

These are just some of the many artworks that will be on show at my upcoming ‘CRACK’ exhibition in Dubai. MY BIGGEST SHOW YET! ‘CRACK’ began with my fascination with what happens to landscapes under pressure: how they split, absorb, mark, or hold memory. A “crack” can be a sound, a break, a sign of tension or a moment of release and this collection brings my visual interpretation of all the above. In order of appearance: 1. Let’s Clay 2. Country Road 3. The Alchemist 4. Lone Rider 5. Roughmans 6. Lines In The Sand 7. Sandy Road 8. Three Shades of Grey 9. Sprint #wernerbronkhorst #cracks