Peter Wortel

Music, drama, Judaism, history, city’s and people are important facets of the work of Peter Wortel (1954). His work consists mainly of wall relief’s, sculptures and woodcuts. 'Architecture intrigues me, but so do the people in the city's. Clinging to a newspaper, or plugged into a walkman, they isolate themselves'.

[b]Tunnels[/b]
A world apart. Mysterious. A path with a goal. Firmly delineated. Profoundly deep. Peter Wortel's fascination dates from 1984, his work becoming complex, the rugged metals almost coming alive, away from the flat surface and back again. Figurative yet abstract. Catching the essence of tunnels- of limits- of life with a goal. Wortel moulds and wrestles.

Wortel's inspiration comes from the London Underground, from passageways under the Niagara Falls, from escalators and many more locations. The transparent passages of the escalators in Paris 'Centre Pompidou have also birthed arresting work. Colourful, bright.

Inspiration? With or without. 'I work from 8 to 5. Always!'

Exhibitions in Japan, Canada, Russia, Europe and of course the Netherlands. For more, see selected exhibitions.
His formula for international notice: show your work, exhibit it. Send lots of it up, and never travel anywhere without a roll of graphic art and photographs of wall relief’s and sculptures.

'Breakthrough? The whole of London full of posters of your tunnel, 9000 of them for the exhibition 'Tunnel Visions' in the London Transport Museum. Interviews on TV, articles in the newspapers. Good experience.'

'I don't have a label. I don't belong to a movement. My clients make up their own minds.'

[b]Woodcuts[/b]
Each impression unique, hand printed on Japanese paper. Printed with a thick layer of ink, rubbed by hand, resulting in a magnificent texture, and some of the woodcuts are embossed.
To Wortel, woodcuts are the ideal alternative to working either in the 3-dimensional or the 2-dimensional. Often the woodcuts are part of a series, some series being exhibited all over the world.

[b]Organisations organised by Peter Wortel[/b]
[b] [/b]
2011 Reliefprinting workshops at Fontenoy le Chateau, France
2010 Reliefprinting workshops at Oostwold
2009 Workshop, Two artists from Londen at Oostwold
2008 The Overseas Project 2008, Den Helder, art project with 17 international artists & two
workshops at Galerie Richter (6 studenten from Londen)
Ploeg 90 jaar in Verhildersum in Leens
2007 Workshop in Centre d'art et culture de Droiteval, France
2006 Workshop Staat Atelier Moskou in Groninger Atelier
2005 Chairman Art Council De Ploeg, Groninger (30 artists)
2003/ Plus One’ 5-exhibitions at the Ploeg Gallery, Groningen, with 3 English 2 Irish and two
2002 Dutch artists combined with lectures and workshops.
2001 Workshop, lectures and Exhibition at Graphics Museum Groningen, with 3 English
and 2 Dutch artists
1999: Groningen own studio - workshop with 2 artists from London
Helped Denise Wyllie at the ‘Angel Lee Valley’ project, London
1998 2001 Chairman of the Groninger Art Council 'De Ploeg'
Lectures for Holt (relief printers) about ‘Underwriting Graphics’ (V.O.G.).
1997 Groningen own studio - workshop with artist from Ireland and workshop with 3
English artists.
1995 Groningen own studio - workshop with artists from London.
East Berkshire College, Langley, England- lecture own work.
Gallery Groeneveld, Almelo, Netherlands-Graphic Exhibition with 8 English artists
and 4 Dutch artist.
1994 Groningen own studio - workshop with 4 Dutch artists and one Irish artist.
1993 Groningen own studio - workshop with 3 English artists.
1992 Bury Museum of art, England - two Dutch artists exhibition. Opened by Mr.Hammoen
from the Dutch embassy.
1991 Pro-graph foundation Orvelte -workshop - Dutch artists and three artists from
London.
Christian Artists London - lecture about my work. London Transport Museum,
London solo exhibition - own work opened by Dutch culture attaché Mr. Hammoen
from the Dutch embassy.
1990 Pro-graph foundation, Orvelte workshop - Dutch artists and two artists from
Lancashire.
Graphic Exhibition in Gallery Centaur, Elsloo, Netherlands with Dutch artists and two
artists from Lancashire, England.
1988 Arranged an exchange between Art Academy Minerva, Groningen and Art Academy
Ljublijana, Slovenia.
1987 Leer, Germany - Coordination of workshop with artists from Slovenia, Germany and
Groningen. The Artist Centre - Groningen Gallery Pro-Graph - Orvelte Gallery
Jansen, Amsterdam organised, international Print show-Germany - Michael Pedulke,
England Michael Rothenstein, U.S.A. - Glenn Thomas, Slovenia -Franc Curk and 3
Dutch artists.
Art Academy Minerva, Groningen - lecture by Franc Curk, Slovenia.
1986 Exhibition organised for 8 artists from Groningen at Exhibition Hall Norden, Germany.