Philip van Helsdingen (Wassenaar 1957, The Netherlands) has been fascinated by the beauty and strength of shape and movement from an early age.

In his works, Van Helsdingen explores the freedom and creative expression of movement through abstract, almost mathematical shapes and coloured areas, reminiscent of cubism. This art movement was fundamental in the development of his unique and characteristic style. This style developed during the late seventies when Van Helsdingen graduated as a graphic designer at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague.

Influenced by his career as a graphic designer, a visual language unfolded that reflects the perfectionistic structured method of his commercial assignments.

At the same time, this visual language expresses his curiosity in the strength, energy, and expressive freedom of man and animal. As example the interaction between rider and horse is a frequently recurring theme in his work.

As an artist, Van Helsdingen methodically explores the relation between the poignancy of a perfectly performed movement and the daily struggle needed to push back physical frontiers.

Using harmoniously coloured areas, firm lines, and curves he expresses the tension between freedom of movement and the limitations put on this freedom by the physique. To this end, Van Helsdingen focuses on athletes and musicians amongst others. Furthermore, he also focuses on details of the human physique, for example through abstract, titillating female nudes.

This results in intriguing works that exhibit strong dynamics: Moving Abstraction