Exhibitions
The Foundation was fortunate to participate in EXPO CHICAGO thanks to a collaboration with American University, de Looper’s alma mater.
International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art, 11-14 April 2024, Chicago’s Navy Pier
Recent Exhibition
Hemphill, Washington, DC : January 27 - March 2, 2024
“...although my paintings are, as all painting, a distillation of nature, they are as abstract as music ”
Willem de Looper:
Paintings 1972 - 1975
Verde, 1974 acrylic on canvas 88 x 97 1/2 inches
Wide Ruins, 1974 acrylic on canvas 78 x 100 inches
Past Exhibitions:
Hemphill, Washington, DC
Willem de Looper: Paintings, 1968 - 1972
January 15 - February 26, 2022
In the video from this exhibition, Sarah Tanguy and Jack Rasmussen discuss de Looper’s process and skill as a stain painter. Kristen Hileman’s essay refers to “his paint seeming to flow and vaporize into sumptuous meditations on the nuances of color and atmospheric space.“
detail of Verde, 1974
BRIAN GROSS FINE ART, San Francisco
May 26 - July 30, 2022
Untitled, 1969 acrylic on canvas 49 1/4 x 45 1/4 in.
Thoroughly Emerald, 1968 acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 in.
2008 “Willem de Looper,” Katzen Arts Center, American University, Washington, DC
2012 “Paintings 1968-72,” Hemphill Gallery, Washington, DC
Solo Shows:
2021 David Richard Gallery, New York, NY
2018, 2015, 2012 Hemphill Fine Arts, Washington, DC
2013, 2009, 2000, 1998, 1995, 1992, 1990 Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2012 “The Morris at Twenty,” Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA
2011 “The Big Reveal,” Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO
2009, 2002, 1995-1996 The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC
2008 “Willem de Looper,” Katzen Arts Center, American University,
Washington, DC Catalogue with essay “A Tribute to a Painting and a Painter”
2008, 2006 PASS Gallery, Washington, DC
2001, 2000 Alex Gallery, Washington, DC
2000 “Art Paris,” Galerie Sacha Tarassoff, Paris, France
1998, 1997, 1993, 1992 Troyer Fitzpatrick Lassman Gallery, Washington, DC
“New Paintings,” PASS, Washington, DC
1996 “Willem de Looper: A Retrospective Exhibition,” University of Maryland,
College Park, MD Full chronology
“Paintings from 1960-1976,” Federal Reserve Board & National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC
1992, 1985, 1974 Montgomery College, Takoma Park, MD
1994 “Recent Work,” Watkins Gallery, American University, Washington, DC
1992, 1989 Jones Troyer Fitzpatrick Gallery, Washington, DC
1991 Smith Andersen Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
1989, 1987, 1985, 1983 B.R. Kornblatt Gallery, Washington, DC
1988 Shippee Gallery, New York, NY
1988 Tilghman Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
1986, 1985, 1980 “Area Exhibitions,” Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
1980 McIntosh/Drysdale Gallery, Washington, DC
1979 Sarah Y. Rentschler Gallery, New York, NY
Galerie L., Hamburg, West Germany
1978, 1977, 1976, 1975 Max Protech Gallery, Washington, DC
The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC
1978 Jean-Marie Antone Gallery, Annapolis, MD
1977 Fraser’s Stable Gallery, Washington, DC
1976 “The Golden Door: Artist Immigrants of America, 1876-1976,” Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC
1975 “Large Paintings and Works on Paper,” The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC
“Paintings from 1962-1975,” Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, VA
1972 Jefferson Place Gallery, Washington, DC
1974, 1972, 1970, 1968, 1967, 1966 Jefferson Place Gallery, Washington, DC
1971 The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
1970 Philomathean Gallery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
“Washington, Twenty Years,” Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD
1967, 1965 “Area Exhibitions,” Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
Group Exhibitions
2021, The Long Sixties: Washington Paintings in the Watkins and Corcoran Legacy Collections, 1957-1982
Katzen Arts Center, American University, Washington, DC View catalogue
2016-1991 (seventeen shows) Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO View catalogue
2014-2017 Art in Embassies Program, The Hague, The Netherlands
2013 “Washington Art Matters: 1940s-1980s,” Katzen Arts Center, American University, Washington, DC
2011 “The Big Reveal” Kemper Art Museum, Kansas City, MO
2010, 2009 “Art Chicago 2010,” Atrium Gallery, Chicago, IL
2004 “CITIRAMA,” St. Louis, MO
Chesterfield Arts Gallery Exhibit, Chesterfield, MO
2003, 2002 “Art Palm Beach,” Atrium Gallery, Palm Beach, FL
1994 “Evolution of the Print,” Addison/Ripley, Washington, DC
1990 Smith-Anderson Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
1981-1982 Janus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1979 Middendorf-Lane Gallery, Washington, DC
1978 Chuck Levitan Gallery, New York, NY
Fishbach Gallery, New York, NY
1974 Adams/Davidson Gallery, Washington, DC
Performance — “Sky Forms” in Art Now 74 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
1972 International Monetary Fund
1971 “Local Color,” Northern Virginia Arts Association
Kingpitcher Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
1968 “Group Seven,” Washington Gallery of Modern Art, Washington, DC
Reviews & Articles
2022 Rousseau, Claudia, “Willem de Looper: Paintings 1968-1972,” East City Art Reviews, February 7
2022 Jenkins, Mark, “In the Galleries: Willem de Looper,”The Washington Post, February 6
2015 Jenkins, Mark, “In the Galleries: A Painter’s Progress Revealed,” The Washington Post, February 27
2013 Cohen, Jean Lawlor, et al. Washington Art Matters: Art Life in the Capital 1940-1990. Washington, DC: Washington Arts Museum
2012 Jenkins, Mark, “Willem de Looper: Paintings 1968-72,” The Washington Post, February 10
2011 Thorson, Alice, “Kemper shows off new acquisitions in the ‘Big Reveal Exhibit’” Kansas City Star, November 11
2009 Holley, Joe, “DC Artist Shaped the Phillips Collection,” The Washington Post, February 3
2008 Rasmussen, Jack, “Willem de Looper. Washington, DC,” American University Museum
Richard, Paul, “A Tribute for a Washington Painter by way of Holland,” The Washington Post, April 13
“Willem de Looper: American University Museum,” ArtForum, September
2001 Dawson, Jessica, “A Southern Exposure for Finland’s Northern Lights,” The Washington Post, October 25
2000 Baker, Devin, “Flights of Fancy,” St. Louis Magazine, June
Daniel, Jeff, “Willem de Looper; Bob Emser,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, June 25
Protzman, Ferdinand, “A Bright New Day: Willem de Looper Absorbs, Enhances Color School Lessons,” The Washington Post, March 16
1998 St. Louis Post Dispatch, May
1997 Articulate, (contemporary art review), September/October
1996 Gips, Terry, Willem de Looper: A Retrospective Exhibition 1966-1996. The Art Gallery at the University of Maryland at College Park, MD
KOAN, Art Newsletter, November
Weil, Rex, “Willem de Looper,” Art News, November
1995 Bellos, Alexandra, “Common Denominator,” The Riverfront Times, May 3-9
Richard, Paul, “Soothing Jazzy Acrylics,” Washington Post, April 22
Shepley, Carol Ferring, “A Show of Color,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, May 4
1994 Fleming, Lee, “Galleries,” The Washington Post, September 10
1992 Art News, June
Clark, Michael, “Willem de Looper: New Paintings,” Washington Review of the Arts, April
Duffy, Robert, “Tending the Fire of Abstractionism,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, May
Welzenbach, Michael, “For de Looper, a Change of Color,” The Washington Post, January 11
“Willem de Looper: Painting,” The Riverfront Times, June 3-9
1991 The Washington Times
1990 Callahan, Teresa, “De Looper Finds Harmony in Contrast,” St. Louis Post Dispatch, July 12
1989 Art Forum
The Washington Times
1988 Art in America, February
1987 Museum and Arts, September/October
Museum and Arts Washington, November/December
The Washington Times
1986 Interior Design Magazine, July
1983 The Washington Times
1979 Die Welt, Hamburg, October 6
New York Arts Journal, September
1977 Schaff, David, Art International, December
1974 Art in America, Summer
Art News, Summer
1972 Art in America, January
1967 Art Forum
The Nation
1966-89 The Washington Post
1966-79 The Washington Star
1965 Arts