Installation, 1952

Wim Motz was a painter and graphic artist. He was born in Rotterdam and his only education was primary school. He then supported himself by working in several professions, such as gardener, miner, fairgoer, market vendor and house painter. It was not until the age of 37 that his career as an artist began. He took drawing lessons from Jan van Straten and worked under his guidance to catch up enormously.

Wim Motz showed great productivity during his lifetime. His work drive led him from impressionism to expressionism, from pure abstraction back to recognisable reality. He put his subjects on canvas and paper full of dynamism and passion. And not without success. He exhibited in America, Canada, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Initially, Motz painted non-natural yet easily recognisable scenes, such as harbour and industrial views. He was part of the group “The four Rotterdammers” for four years (1954-1958). He then switched from figurative to total abstraction. As a member of the “Ara group”, he mastered the technique of lithography. Besides colour lithographs, he also made black-and-white stone prints and linocuts.

His work is included in the collections of, among others, Museum Boymans-van Beuningen Rotterdam, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Kunstmuseum Den Haag, Museum of Modern Art New York.