Marlene Dumas is a South African-born artist, widely recognized as one of the most significant and influential contemporary painters of our time. Born on August 3, 1953, in Cape Town, South Africa, Dumas grew up in Kuils River, a rural town where her father managed a vineyard. Her upbringing in the shadow of apartheid had a profound impact on her life and later influenced her artistic themes and subjects. Dumas began her formal education in art at the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town, where she studied from 1972 to 1975 and received a degree in fine arts. Her early exposure to the works of avant-garde artists and thinkers during her university years played a crucial role in shaping her artistic vision. It was also during this time that she developed an interest in the emotionally charged photography of Diane Arbus, which would later resonate in her own work. In 1976, Dumas received a scholarship to study at Ateliers '63 in Haarlem, Netherlands, marking the beginning of her lifelong connection with the country. After completing her studies in Haarlem, she went on to study psychology at the University of Amsterdam from 1979 to 1980. This interdisciplinary approach to her education, combining fine arts and psychology, is reflected in the psychological depth and complexity of her paintings. Dumas settled in Amsterdam, where she has lived and worked since the late 1970s. Her early career was marked by experimentation with various media, including collage, drawing, and painting. She often drew inspiration from newspaper clippings, personal memorabilia, and Polaroid photographs, which served as the basis for her imagery. Dumas' work is characterized by its focus on the human figure, and she is known for her portraits that are not traditional representations of individuals but rather convey emotions or states of mind. Throughout her career, Dumas has explored themes of race, sexuality, identity, and socio-political issues, often addressing the struggles of oppressed peoples around the world. Her gestural brushstrokes and thin washes of paint give her works a distinctive, transparent appearance that emphasizes both their materiality and intimate subject matter. Dumas' art is informed by her experiences growing up under apartheid, and she consistently probes the complexities of identity and representation. Dumas' work has been exhibited internationally since 1978 and has garnered widespread acclaim. She has had solo exhibitions at many prestigious institutions, including the Tate Gallery in London, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo. Her first solo exhibition in South Africa opened in 2007, and by the early 2000s, she had become known as one of the world's foremost living artists. In 2011, Dumas was awarded the Rolf Schock Prize for the visual arts, presented by a royal Swedish academy. Her work is represented in museum collections worldwide, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Centre Georges Pompidou, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the Tate Gallery in London. Dumas' artistic style is marked by her use of a wet-on-wet technique, combining thin layers of paint with thicker ones. She works primarily with oil on canvas and ink on paper, and her subjects range from newborn babies to models, strippers, and figures from popular culture. Her paintings are seen as portraits but are intended to represent emotional states rather than specific individuals. Throughout her career, Dumas has also been involved in the film industry, featuring in several documentaries and films that explore her life and work. She has published books and written commentaries for her exhibitions, further contributing to the dialogue about her art. Marlene Dumas continues to be a vital force in contemporary art, with her work challenging viewers to confront and reflect upon the human condition, societal norms, and the complex interplay between public and private selves. Her legacy as a painter and cultural commentator is firmly established, and her influence on the art world is undeniable.

Marlene Dumas Quotes and Sales of Works

Ponti Art Gallery selects and deals with paintings by the artist. Upon request, we provide free estimates and evaluations, communicate prices, quotations, and current market values.

If you are interested in BUYING or SELLING works by the artist, contact us immediately.

If you wish to sell or receive an evaluation of the works:

Send us a frontal photo of the painting, one of the back, and one of the signature. Also, indicate the dimensions of the work. Inform us about the purchase origin of the work and any kind of available documentation (purchase receipts, certificates of authenticity, publications). One of our operators will respond to you on the same day. We guarantee maximum confidentiality and extreme professionalism.

If you wish to purchase works by the painter: Contact us and let us know your request. We will inform you about the available works. We also offer the possibility to subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, through which you will be informed at the beginning of each month about the latest acquisitions of the art gallery.

You can send us pictures of the work:

• by mail –>  [email protected]
• by WhatsApp –> +39 3205747749