b. 1990, Trinidad and Tobago
Justin de Verteuil (b.1992, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) explores the tensions between memory, place, and identity through figurative oil paintings that blend autobiographical elements with dreamlike distortion. Drawing from personal narratives and diasporic histories, his work offers psychologically charged tableaus that straddle the line between the intimate and the uncanny.
Educated under the tutelage of Edward Bowen in Trinidad before entering the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in 2014, de Verteuil’s formative years were shaped by a dialogue between Caribbean and European art histories. He was a guest student in the class of Peter Doig before studying with Siegfried Anzinger (2015–2020) and Katherina Wulff (2020–2023), receiving the title of Meisterschüler from Anzinger in 2019. This cross-cultural foundation continues to inform his exploration of identity, displacement, and the act of remembering through painting.
De Verteuil’s work sits at the intersection of personal mythologies and collective histories, marked by a sensibility attuned to vulnerability, distance, and the slippery nature of recollection. His paintings invite viewers into suspended moments where narrative is fragmented, and the emotional undertow of imagery takes precedence over resolution.
Recent solo and group exhibitions include: Magpie on a Morning Gallows, Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf, DE (2024), Planet Caravan, López de la Serna Centro de Arte Contemporáneo, Madrid, ES (2024), Nexus, Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf, DE (2023), Sweet Odour, ADZ Gallery, Lisbon, PT (2023).