Exhibitions

Recent Exhibitions

The Foundation was fortunate to participate in EXPO CHICAGO thanks to a collaboration with American University, de Looper’s alma mater.

April 11 - 15, 2024

Hemphill, Washington, DC : January 27 - March 2, 2024

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,

Jan. 15 - Feb. 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.“

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

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