From May 16 to October 4, 2026, Museum Villa Mondriaan presents the first solo museum exhibition by artist Reinout Velleman: Alledaagse Verwondering / Everyday Wonder.

Museum Villa Mondriaan proudly presents a solo exhibition by Reinout Velleman (1999, Zeist). Velleman lives and works in Groningen and is rapidly emerging as a prominent voice in contemporary figurative painting. In addition to his artistic practice, he is a lecturer in art history at the University of Groningen.

In 2025, Velleman received the Young Talent Prize for his painting The Pub Owner. His work builds on the tradition of figurative painting—a tradition in which Piet Mondriaan also took his first artistic steps while giving it a contemporary and highly personal interpretation.

The exhibition features paintings in which everyday life takes center stage: people, encounters, and situations drawn from daily experience. The city of Groningen serves as an important source of inspiration. Velleman captures recognizable scenes while simultaneously preserving an elusive and mysterious quality. Recurring motifs such as nightlife and urban landscapes lend his work a serene, cinematic atmosphere.

His paintings develop slowly, built up through multiple layers. Beginning with sketches, he explores color, light, and composition until the right atmosphere emerges. This meticulous process can take months and becomes visible in the layered quality of the final works.

With this exhibition, Velleman invites visitors to take a closer look at the everyday. What may initially appear simple—a street, a conversation, a moment of silence acquires new meaning in his paintings. The exhibition offers space for slowing down, wonder, and personal interpretation.