Background
Brands was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on January 15, 1913.
1941
Eugène Brands in 1941.
Jodenbreestraat 3, 1011 NG Amsterdam, Netherlands
Eugène Brands studied commercial art at the Amsterdam School of the Arts (now known as the Amsterdam University of the Arts).
Young Eugène Brands.
Eugène Brands in his studio.
Eugène Brands in his later years.
's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
In the year 1967, Eugène Brands was appointed teacher at the Royal Academy of Modern Art and Design in ’s-Hertogenbosch.
Brands was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on January 15, 1913.
Eugène Brands studied commercial art at the Amsterdam School of the Arts (later known as the Amsterdam University of the Arts).
At the beginning of his career, Brands spent several months working as a designer in different advertising firms, before he decided to devote himself entirely to fine art. Initially, he produced assemblages from various found objects. Concurrently, he also started his experiments with paint and language.
During the Second World War, he became greatly influenced by the Surrealists’ concept of automatic writing, and created pictures in charcoal, ink, and gouache inspired by the cosmos. Moreover, he also developed an extensive collection of ritual objects and music from Africa. In 1946, Eugène Brands took part in the group exhibition "Young Painters" in the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, where a whole room was filled with his works only. In 1948 the artist joined the Experimental Group Holland.
Eugène Brands organized the landmark 1949 CoBrA exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, contributing to the founding statement in the group's art magazine Reflex. However, he split from the movement immediately afterwards.
In the 1950s Brands became inspired by children's drawings, particularly by the drawings of his young daughter, and produced a number of oil-on-paper artworks. These paintings incorporated magical elements. In the 1960s, his work became increasingly abstract. He started to abandon form and paint works that included large areas of colour. In the year 1967, Eugène Brands was appointed teacher at the Royal Academy of Modern Art and Design in ’s-Hertogenbosch.
From 1993 until his death, because of the physical demands of painting on canvas, Brands focused on creating gouaches on paper. Throughout his career, Eugène Brands remained faithful to the expression of primitive art and music. He had numerous exhibitions at such institutions as the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the CoBrA Museum of Modern Art in Amstelveen, among others.
Demon
Noodlotsmaan
White chapel
Slot en sleutel
Vis boven bloemen
De dichter en zijn muze
In het maanverlichte park
Tropics
Eugene en Eugenie
Kist met kindertekeningen
The Ball Game
Blauwe wolk
Vogel vliegt over stad
L'Orient
Fabeldier
Deep Universe
Archaïs landschap
Compositie
M: Mystery
Two cowskins designed by M
Painting
Avondval
La place déserte
Zwart
Zonder titel
Vroeg in de morgen
Vrijschrift
Garden II
Untitled
De fruitschaal
Venetiaans glas
Dream of Reality
House at night
Nature morte cosmique
Flower Light
Peinture cosmique
Blue window
Composition
Jaune radieux
Nature morte dans la nuit
Panta Rei
Palette noir
Vrij Geometrisch
Yin-Yuang
Table with nebulae
Dynamic red
Zonder titel
Couleur au fond cosmique
Landscape II
Nachtvenster
Composition au fond cosmique
He was briefly a member of the Cobra artist movement.