Tijs Dragtsma (1992) - Dalí

Dalí is a sculptural work within the Art with Nails series by Tijs Dragtsma.

The image is not painted, printed or digitally reproduced. It is constructed through precision and controlled repetition. Hundreds of blackened steel nails emerge from a white surface, forming a portrait that feels both structured and unpredictable.

The face appears composed, yet restless. The gaze is steady, almost analytical, while the iconic moustache curves outward with deliberate exaggeration. Order and eccentricity coexist.

From a distance the portrait reads as graphic and unmistakable. Up close, the surface dissolves into a field of vertical tension. Each nail stands as an independent gesture. A calculated placement. A controlled disruption within a precise system.

Light activates the work. Shadows stretch and overlap, creating depth that shifts with perspective. The figure appears stable, yet never entirely still. The surface holds structure, but suggests movement.

Dalí is not merely a tribute to a surrealist master. It reflects the tension between logic and imagination. Between discipline and distortion. The portrait stands balanced on that edge.

Structure becomes illusion. Impact becomes thought. Control becomes dream.

About Art with Nails

Art with Nails is a self-developed artistic medium in which imagery emerges through the precise placement of steel or brass nails. Rather than applying pigment, Dragtsma constructs form through rhythm, repetition and controlled force.

The works are defined by sculptural depth, material contrast and the interaction between light and shadow. Each nail functions as an individual structural element within a larger spatial composition, allowing the image to transform with viewing angle and illumination.

About the Artist – Tijs Dragtsma

Tijs Dragtsma is a Dutch contemporary artist and founder of TD Fine Art Studio. His practice operates at the intersection of material, structure and light, with a strong focus on developing distinct artistic languages rather than following established traditions.

He is widely recognised for his Art with Nails series, in which hundreds to thousands of steel or brass nails form sculptural portraits that transform with light and viewing angle. Through precision and repetition, he translates digital mapping into physical presence.

Since beginning his artistic practice in 2024, his works have entered private collections across Europe, Asia and the United States, and have been presented internationally. His work is driven by experimentation, technical control and a long-term vision centred on material integrity and spatial experience.

All works are conceived and produced in his studio in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.