Miggie (1988) - Venus

Mixed techniques on canvas
Canvas is stretched on wood, 4 cm depth
High-quality acrylic, graphic design and oil paint
Ready to hang, with certificate

My name is Miguel, but among friends and now also in the art world I am best known as Miggie. That is my artist’s name and also my nickname. I was born in 1988 in the Netherlands and live in Maastricht, a Bourgondian city in the south of the Netherlands, near the Belgian and German border. The international environment I live in provides an important source of inspiration for my work. Daily I encounter different cultures, styles, people and stories. That versatility fits well with the way I view art: curious, free and without fixed boundaries.

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 fail sometimes, an image can tell a lot. As a child I drew portraits, comic characters and endless doodles.

Later I discovered graffiti and street art. That discovery had a large influence on how I look at art. The energy, freedom and direct visual language of graffiti spoke to me strongly. Art didn’t have to hang only in a museum or gallery for me; it could also originate on the street, right in the community, between buildings, people and daily life. The combination of large forms, bold colors, typography, spontaneity and multiple layers continued to fascinate me.

My interest in art developed further, and eventually I deepened my passion at the Art Academy in Maastricht. There I had the opportunity to further develop my skills and at the same time experiment with different techniques, materials and ways of working. The program helped me become not only technically stronger but also to think more 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, societal developments and, above all, 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 coincidental combination of images.

Artists such as Dillon Boy, Banksy, Jeff Koons and Marcel Duchamp have inspired me in various 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. It is precisely the combination of different influences that makes my work interesting. I enjoy pushing existing boundaries and letting different techniques and materials collaborate.

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 see, while with other works you have to look longer to discover all the elements. I find that interesting: a work of art doesn’t 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 see the world. I use elements from that visual language and give them a new context within my own work.

Materials and techniques

I use different materials and techniques and combine them into mixed-media artworks. I work, among other things, 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 they 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 ultimately about what the work needs.

Unique artworks

Each painting I make is unique.
I think it is important that a artwork isn’t just a decorative object, but also contains a bit of my personality, energy and way of looking at things.

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

I hope that people feel something from my work. That can be admiration, recognition, curiosity, or simply a smile. An artwork doesn’t always have to carry a complicated message for me. Sometimes it may just be colorful, energetic and positive. At the same time I like it when a work makes someone think or invites them to look longer.

Art for everyone

As far as I’m concerned, art doesn’t have to be aloof or difficult to access. I want my work to appeal to people, regardless of how much knowledge they have about art. Whether you are an experienced art collector or considering buying an original work for the first time: my goal is that you find something with which you have a personal connection.

Shipping

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

My goal as an artist

For me, art is ultimately a way to make ideas, energy and emotion visible. It is a continuous search 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. Precisely the freedom to bring together different influences keeps it interesting for me to continue creating.

My hope is that my art adds something to the space it occupies. That it brings color, arouses 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 puts a smile on your face.