Artist Spotlight - Jef Horvers — Contemporary Art Curator Magazine

Biography

Jef Horvers is a painter and sculptor from the Netherlands. In 1979, he obtained a degree in art education from the Tilburg Academy of the Arts. Between 1974 and 2008, he worked as a teacher in special education.

Artist Statement

"The core of my artistic vision lies in my fascination for the delicate balance between movement and stability that can be found in arthropods (Arthropoda). My sculptures arise from an exploration of how such creatures can stand and move on impossibly thin legs. The continuous metamorphosis in my work reflects both the natural progression of life and the infinite possibilities of artistic exploration".

jeh01137, 2026, copperwire/rvs, 26x25x20

Jef Horvers builds a world of sculptures that is dominated by evolution. Fascinated by the load-bearing capacity of impossibly thin legs, he constructs multicellular forms by means of stacking and series mutation, in which one work arises from the other. The resulting structures float between nature, technology and architecture, appearing graphic and translucent, almost weightless. Movement arises from springily suspended elements.

jeh00819, 2020, copperwire/coins, 46x10x10

Surfaces are reduced to skeletal frames, where empty space becomes as important as line, and translucency allows light to play with the structure. The fineness of the construction makes them seem to vibrate, as if they were alive.

jeh01099, 2026, copperwire/coins, 23x25x10

Horvers' sculptures show how complexity can arise through repetition and mutation, and how even the most exceptional forms can have remarkable stability and grace.

jeh00894, 2025, copperwire/foil, 38x38x5

Jef Horvers, was a participating artist at the XV Florence Biennale in October 2025, awarded the golden 'Lorenzo il Magnifico' in the category: installation art. He exhibited in galleries and participated in several ArtFairs. His work is in private collections at home and abroad.

jeh01147, copperwire/ceramic plates, 22x30x7

I see painting as a process of constant choosing. I experiment with paint and other materials and remain open to what happens while painting. The result may differ from the original image I had in mind. It is a search for a balanced composition of visual elements such as line, plane and colour.

jefhorvers.com