Arno Coenen

Arno Coenen is world wide recognized for his contribution to the Markthal by MVRDV Architects in Rotterdam. Arno designed and produced the giant colourful ceiling of the hall, which landend on the covers of the Architectuur yearbook and the Dutch Design yearbook.

He delivered a very important piece of work to the Beurspassage in Amsterdam, this put him in the top 3 of the yearly Architecture review of NRC.

His tableau of tiles “Oud-West, Thuis Best” is added to the collection “ The Netherlands in a 100 objects”.

His computer recorded videoanimations are in the collection of the Rijksmuseum and in the publica of the history of important media art, next to for example the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

His public works are physical manifestations of images from other media: computer animations, videos, photographs, posters and news media, for example. In this process of

fleeting electronic images into solid materials such as stone and glass, Coenen develops a personal visual language, with unique compositions of recognizable elements.

The encounter between digital images and traditional techniques creates a tension that is characteristic of Arno Coenen’s oeuvre.

For example, in the Markthal project he lays the link between old Dutch still lifes and the animated films by Pixar, by combining trompe l’oeil with refined 3D and light effects.

Arno Coenen shows a lot of love for craftsmanship in his oeuvre. In the Beurspassage in Amsterdam for instance, Coenen uses terrazzo floors. These floors are made of granite, a sustainable variant of natural stone.

He likes to combine handicraft techniques and sustainable materials with modern imagery. This gives it a contemporary appearance with long lasting allure.