Hamelink - Free as a Bird
07
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€ 1
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Selected by Anthony Chrisp
Over 10 years' experience in art trade and previously founded his own gallery.
Gallery Estimate € 1,200 - € 1,500
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Bart Hamelink's acrylic painting Free as a Bird, an original neo-expressionist work from 2026, measuring 131 cm by 215 cm, signed and delivered rolled without a frame with a signed certificate of authenticity, depicting a red, yellow, black, white and beige pop-culture scene in a layered, emotive style from the Netherlands.
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Description from the seller
In this expressive work by Bart Hamelink, a world comes together filled with chaos, emotion, and the longing for freedom. The composition is layered and intense, filled with figures, symbols, and texts that together tell a story of sorrow, conflict, and the impact of war.
The red underlayer feels raw and urgent, like a stream of emotions that moves through the entire work. Over this layer appear various figures — vulnerable, searching, sometimes lost — as if they are trapped in a world that is too much to bear.
Texts such as “take me” and “free as a bird” reinforce this feeling. They refer to a deep longing to break free, to escape from pain, control, or circumstances that are overwhelming. Freedom is not presented as something given for granted here, but as something to which one yearns.
As is often the case in Hamelink’s work, connection also plays a role here, but in a different form: people who coexist in the same chaos, each with their own story, yet connected by what they feel and experience.
The strength of the work lies in its layering: the longer you look, the more you discover. It is not a calm image, but a reflection of a world in which emotions, pain, and hope run through each other.
This work is about sorrow, about what war does to people, and above all about the longing to be free — simply free as a bird.
Note:
The displayed images with frames are mood visuals and are intended to illustrate how the work can hang in an interior.
The artwork is delivered without a frame and without a plexiglass mount (rolled) for safe and affordable transport.
The work is carefully packaged and shipped, and comes with a signed certificate of authenticity from the artist Bart Hamelink.
www.barthamelink.com
Seller's Story
Hamelink combines contemporary themes with influences from the past and often works in an energetic, expressive style. He draws inspiration from the tradition of artists such as Herman Brood, who was known for his raw, spontaneous approach, as well as Riek van Iersel, who sought a powerful emotional expression in his work.
Hamelink is best known for his paintings and drawings, in which he pushes the boundaries of traditional painting and tackles themes such as identity, culture and social issues. His work can be characterised by a direct, unpolished approach to the medium, which exudes a certain spontaneity and energy. Like Brood and Van Iersel, Hamelink plays with the tension between personal experience and the broader social context, often with a focus on contemporary society.
His style is often raw, unfiltered and full of expression, using powerful colours and dynamic shapes that enhance the urgency of his themes. Bart Hamelink seems to bridge the gap between traditional expressive movements and contemporary art with his work, while at the same time critically reflecting on modern times.
Translated by Google TranslateIn this expressive work by Bart Hamelink, a world comes together filled with chaos, emotion, and the longing for freedom. The composition is layered and intense, filled with figures, symbols, and texts that together tell a story of sorrow, conflict, and the impact of war.
The red underlayer feels raw and urgent, like a stream of emotions that moves through the entire work. Over this layer appear various figures — vulnerable, searching, sometimes lost — as if they are trapped in a world that is too much to bear.
Texts such as “take me” and “free as a bird” reinforce this feeling. They refer to a deep longing to break free, to escape from pain, control, or circumstances that are overwhelming. Freedom is not presented as something given for granted here, but as something to which one yearns.
As is often the case in Hamelink’s work, connection also plays a role here, but in a different form: people who coexist in the same chaos, each with their own story, yet connected by what they feel and experience.
The strength of the work lies in its layering: the longer you look, the more you discover. It is not a calm image, but a reflection of a world in which emotions, pain, and hope run through each other.
This work is about sorrow, about what war does to people, and above all about the longing to be free — simply free as a bird.
Note:
The displayed images with frames are mood visuals and are intended to illustrate how the work can hang in an interior.
The artwork is delivered without a frame and without a plexiglass mount (rolled) for safe and affordable transport.
The work is carefully packaged and shipped, and comes with a signed certificate of authenticity from the artist Bart Hamelink.
www.barthamelink.com
Seller's Story
Hamelink combines contemporary themes with influences from the past and often works in an energetic, expressive style. He draws inspiration from the tradition of artists such as Herman Brood, who was known for his raw, spontaneous approach, as well as Riek van Iersel, who sought a powerful emotional expression in his work.
Hamelink is best known for his paintings and drawings, in which he pushes the boundaries of traditional painting and tackles themes such as identity, culture and social issues. His work can be characterised by a direct, unpolished approach to the medium, which exudes a certain spontaneity and energy. Like Brood and Van Iersel, Hamelink plays with the tension between personal experience and the broader social context, often with a focus on contemporary society.
His style is often raw, unfiltered and full of expression, using powerful colours and dynamic shapes that enhance the urgency of his themes. Bart Hamelink seems to bridge the gap between traditional expressive movements and contemporary art with his work, while at the same time critically reflecting on modern times.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Artist
Hamelink
Edition
Original
Sold by
Direct from the artist
Sold with frame
No
Title of artwork
Free as a Bird
Technique
Acrylic painting
Signature
Hand signed
Country of origin
Netherlands
Year
2026
Condition
Excellent condition
Colour
Beige, Black, Red, White, Yellow
Height
131 cm
Width
215 cm
Weight
325 g
Depiction/theme
Pop Culture
Style
Neo-Expressionism
Period
2020+
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