Thomas van Loon - to be

Thomas van Loon (born 1994) is a Dutch visual artist and sculptor who lives and works in the Netherlands. In his sculptural practice, he explores the human figure as a bearer of inner tension, vulnerability, and stillness. His work operates at the intersection of figuration and abstraction and is characterized by a sober, almost ascetic formal language.
Van Loon mainly works with materials such as plaster, textiles, wood, and mixed media. He combines traditional sculpture techniques with an intuitive, tactile approach that leaves traces of the hand visible. The surface of his sculptures is never smooth or rounded; it bears scars, fractures, and irregularities that refer to time, memory, and physical presence.

Central to Van Loon's oeuvre is the human being as a fragile creature — enclosed, distorted, or partially detached from their own body. Figures sometimes appear to be bound, enveloped, or constricted, not so much as a symbol of violence, but as a metaphor for inner limitation, silence, and introspection. His sculptures radiate a paradoxical sense of calm: they are both tense and resigned.
The head plays an important role in his work, often depicted realistically, while the body dissolves into abstract volumes or textile shells. This contrast emphasizes the gap between thinking and feeling, between identity and corporeality.
Van Loon works slowly and with concentration. His studio is not a production space but a place of attention and repetition. Many works develop over a longer period, during which he adds, removes, and reinterprets materials. Chance is given space in the process, but never takes control.


His sculptures are not narrative but existential. They invite silence and prolonged observation. In a time of visual abundance, he consciously chooses limitation, repetition, and concentration.
His work is often described as intimate, physical, and still, with a strong emotional charge without explicit sentiment. The sculptures function as objects, but also as presence in the space — almost as silent witnesses.
Development and recognition
Since the beginning of his professional practice, Thomas van Loon has gained increasing attention within the contemporary art scene. His work is praised for its consistency, material sensitivity, and conceptual depth. Art critics laud his ability to achieve maximum expressive power with minimal means.

Thomas van Loon continues to deepen his practice around the human figure and the tension between the body and the inner world. His work forms a quiet but powerful countervoice within contemporary sculpture — an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and cultivate bodily awareness.