Chris Beekman artwork • painting • for sale On the way to the demonstration

From the age of thirteen, Chris Beekman gained work experience at the Rozenburg pottery factory. Nine years later, he changed course and decided to dedicate himself to painting. Initially, he painted in the style of the Hague School, but from 1917 onwards, he shifted toward abstract cubist compositions after joining the ‘De Stijl’ movement and becoming friends with Bart van der Leck. A conflict with Theo van Doesburg regarding the relationship between art and politics led to a split between Beekman and De Stijl in 1919. He continued to paint abstractly until approximately 1922, after which he began to find his way back to figurative art. From the 1930s, he arrived at a form of social realism, with the poverty experienced by the working class becoming the central theme of his work. Throughout his life, Beekman was politically active and involved in trade unions; during the Second World War, he also took an active part in the resistance.