Master artist

Harry van Gestel

Harry van Gestel (now working under the pseudonym Poesnieki) was born in Reusel, a small village in the south of the Netherlands, in 1953. Van Gestel is best known for his large-scale, vibrant abstract expressionist paintings. Throughout his career, he has built an extensive body of work that includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, floral art, performances, poetry, tapestries, and books. Through his international lifestyle and numerous exhibitions around the world, he has left a lasting artistic footprint stretching from China and the Middle East to Europe and the United States. Art critics and collectors have described his work as “a feast for the eyes” and “a mind-altering experience.” Harry van Gestel’s works can be found in galleries, hotels, hospitals, law firms, the Museum of Culture in Nagasaki, Japan, as well as in private, corporate, and diplomatic collections worldwide. In 1998, Harry opened his own gallery and studio in the center of Amsterdam — The Harry van Gestel Gallery. Since then, Sotheby’s Amsterdam has regularly auctioned his works in support of charitable causes. Art historian and former Business Development Director of Sotheby’s Amsterdam, Max Hemelraad, has described Harry’s oeuvre as “vast and significant” and “beyond any -ism.” The works of Harry van Gestel are rooted in artistic freedom and created through a process he calls “confrontation” — the confrontation of the artist with the possibilities of the medium, with his own emotions, and with the constant need for renewal. He follows a strict no-title policy, allowing viewers complete freedom of interpretation and honoring their imagination and personal perspective. Harry lives fully in the present moment. This state of mind, together with the lessons learned through his international life, the cultures he has embraced, and the challenges he has overcome, converges in both his artworks and writings, where his identity and spirit find expression on the canvas. His philosophy of life, empathy, and altruism materialize through his art, taking visual form in every work. Experience his distinctive use of color and bring his artistic vision into your space.