Miggie (1988) - La Dolce Vita, La Gioconda

Unique artwork
Original, and including certificate
Mixed media on canvas:
High-quality acrylic, graphics printing and oil paint
Ready to hang directly

Miggie

My name is Miguel, but among friends and now also in the art world I am mostly known as Miggie. It is my artist name and also my given name. I was born in 1988 in the Netherlands and I live in Maastricht, a Burgundian city in the south of the Netherlands, close to the Belgian and German border. The international environment I live in provides an important source of inspiration for my work. Daily I come into contact with different cultures, styles, people and stories. That versatility fits well with the way I view art: curious, free and without fixed borders.

Art has been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember. From a young age drawing and painting were a natural way for me to express myself. When words sometimes fall short, an image can tell a lot. As a child I drew portraits, cartoon characters and endless doodles.

Later I discovered graffiti and street art. That discovery had a big influence on how I view art. The energy, freedom and direct visual language of graffiti spoke to me strongly. Art did not have to hang only in a museum or gallery for me; it could also arise on the street, right in the middle of society, between buildings, people and daily life. The combination of large forms, powerful colors, typography, spontaneity and multiple layers continued to fascinate me.

My interest in art developed further and eventually I deepened my passion at the Academy of Arts in Maastricht. There I was given the opportunity to further develop my skills and at the same time experiment with different techniques, materials and ways of working. The education helped me become not only technically stronger but also to think more deeply about my own visual language and what I want to tell as an artist.

My style

My current work is a combination of street art, pop culture and contemporary visual art. I am inspired by art history, popular culture, social developments and especially by the world around me. Sometimes it is a recognizable image, a person or an object that catches my attention. At other times an idea arises from a color, a shape, a text or a random combination of images.

Artists such as Dillon Boy, Banksy, Jeff Koons and Marcel Duchamp have inspired me in different ways. Yet I try to walk my own path above all. I don't believe art has to fit into one style or one technique. Precisely the combination of different influences makes my work interesting. I enjoy pushing existing boundaries and letting different techniques and materials work together.

My paintings are colorful, expressive and often built up in multiple layers. In one work different images, patterns, texts, textures and details can come together. Sometimes you immediately see what you are looking at, while in other works you have to look longer to discover all the elements. That is interesting to me: a work of art does not have to reveal everything at once.

My inspiration largely comes from the visual culture in which we live daily. We are constantly surrounded by advertising, television, social media, brands, music, films, comics and other forms of popular culture. These images influence how we view the world. I use elements from that visual language and then give them a new context within my own work.

Materials and techniques

I use various materials and techniques and combine them into mixed-media artworks. For example, I work with oil paint, Molotow acrylic paint, high-quality acrylic paint, markers, wall paint and graphic designs.

I also make use of graphic elements and canvas prints when these add something to the image. By combining painting techniques with graphic shapes, prints, texts and other layers, a dynamic whole emerges. No material has a fixed function for me. It’s all about what the work needs.

Unique artworks

Each painting I make is unique.
I believe it is important that a work of art is not just a decorative object, but also contains a bit of my personality, energy and way of looking at things.

My works are executed on canvas and are ready to hang directly. Each painting thus receives its own character and appearance.

I hope people feel something from my work. That can be admiration, recognition, curiosity or simply a smile. A work of art does not always have to carry a complex message for me. Sometimes it may just be colorful, energetic and positive. At the same time I think it is beautiful when a work makes someone think or invites them to look longer.

Art for everyone

Art does not have to be distant or difficult to access as I see it. I want my work to appeal to people, regardless of how much they know about art. Whether you are an experienced art collector or considering buying an original artwork for the first time: my goal is that you find something with which you have a personal click.

Shipping

Each canvas is carefully protected with multiple layers of bubble wrap and then supplied with a sturdy, custom outer box. This ensures the artwork is as well protected as possible during transport to its new destination.

My goal as an artist

To me, art is ultimately a way to make ideas, energy and emotion visible. It is a continuous quest in which I keep experimenting, learning and discovering new things. My inspiration comes from the past, contemporary culture and especially daily life.

I do not want to limit myself to one style, one technique or one subject. It is precisely the freedom to bring together different influences that makes it interesting for me to keep creating.

My hope is that my art adds something to the space it occupies. That it brings color, sparks curiosity, starts a conversation or simply gives someone a good feeling.

Thank you for your interest in my work. I hope my art inspires you, moves you, makes you curious, or simply brings a smile.