Abstract composition, 1994

Dick Tasma was a Dutch painter whose expressive and highly personal work combined colour, symbolism and powerful figurative imagery. Born in 1951, he became closely associated with Nijmegen, where he lived and worked for much of his artistic career.

Tasma developed a distinctive visual language in which people, animals and mythical figures often appear as symbols of universal human experiences. Bulls, horses, birds and groups of figures recur throughout his work, rendered in rich, earthy colours and vigorous layers of paint.

His paintings have been described as expressive, lyrical and neo-symbolist, inviting the viewer to look beyond the visible image and discover their own interpretation. Tasma’s work is characterised by its emotional intensity, warmth and sense of movement.

He remained a devoted and prolific painter until his death in 2013, aged 61. Today, his paintings continue to be appreciated for their distinctive combination of strength, colour, symbolism and imagination.