Very early on, Arnaud Kool (Brussels, 1977) develops a passion for design and fashion. At the age of 15, he begins studying art at Saint-Luc and later attends La Cambre, the famous art academy founded by Henry van de Velde. In parallel, he becomes involved in the Brussels’ graffiti scene and flourishes by painting in the streets. In addition to his street art, Arnaud knows how to draw and evokes specific scenes and atmospheres just with a pen, Chinese ink and/or alcohol markers on a simple A4-sized paper. Arnaud continues to cultivate his eye for composition, contrast, colours, shapes and textures in his drawing, photography and street art.

2008 marks a big change. Arnaud devotes himself exclusively to ‘classical’ painting in his studio. Being alone in front of the canvas, painting on defined formats, it is a radical switch and the result is surprising. Arnaud produces abstract paintings with vivid colours, far from the figurative characters he painted in the street. It allows him to break with the recurring themes of graffiti and his efforts lead to a first solo exhibitions at Bodson Gallery in 2009, organised by Charles Antoine Bodson and Cédric Emelinckx. Through this new style Arnaud defines himself as instinctive; far from the figurative style that he considers to be sometimes naïve and anecdotal, the abstraction forces him to step out of the frame, to leave room for mystery, for anonymity, for the unexpected.

This  expo is followed by a series of important collaborations that shape and influence his career. 
During three consecutive years, he is commissioned by Maison Delvaux to create monumental paintings for the Paris and London Fashion Weeks. 
He also collaborates with dancer and actor Brahim Rachiki on a contemporary, ‘live’ performance where Arnaud’s paintings accompany and underline the movement of the dancer. His ultimate goal is to freeze and archive the gestures and actions on his canvas.
Last but not least, in 2016, he participates in ‘Remember Souvenir’, an event organised by his long-time friend and collaborator, Denis Meyers. A titanic work where, over a period of several months, the old Solvay building in Ixelles is turned into a giant street art gallery before it’s being demolished. 

In 2017 Arnaud shows again abstract works at Macadam Gallery. To him, abstraction is synonymous to movement, the meeting of lines and materials, an open window to the world with a view he leaves free for everyone to interpret.

In the last few years his style has become more figurative, even though within the figuration he still finds abstraction.
At the beginning of the summer of 2023, he exhibits ‘Les roches rouges’ at Thibaut Empain. For the first time, Arnaud explores the concept of a series, producing 10 unique pieces inspired by the same still image of a pool in the South of France.
In November of that year, he presents ‘Public Intimacy’ at Galerie Aliénor Prouvost. A body of work he’s been developing for a while and which pays a unique tribute to the history of portraiture. Back in the days reserved for gods and kings, painting has now become an urban phenomenon. His intimate portraits capture the ephemeral depth of urban encounters; moments of public intimacy that oscillate between mystery and romance. 

Since finishing his last series ‘Les roches rouges’ Arnaud feels the urge to paint landscapes, however, he doesn’t find the right way in immediately. One day, he finds 6 vintage Rio chairs on the street in his neighbourhood. He brings them home and places them in his garden. Suddenly it’s all clear. They are the perfect excuse to paint landscapes and the concept of ‘Prince d’Orange’ is born. The series is named after his neighbourhood, a leafy green part of the Brussels capital. 
Similarly to his first series, a white object features in all the paintings, but he clearly handles the concept of the series more freely this time. The result is a diverse collection where the character of the Rio chair ranges from silent witness to clear protagonist. The chairs are never painted over the background, Arnaud is looking for a different tension and ambiance. He creates this by inverting the painting process; he paints all the plants and flowers but ‘saves’ the space the chair represents. Every little square in between the wires of the back and seating is in fact a miniature painting on its own. The devil is definitely in the detail. 

Over the years Arnaud’s painting asserts itself and becomes freer. From his passion for fashion he keeps a love of silhouettes and attitudes. He explores colour in a play of light and shadow, oscillating between abstraction and figuration, precision and imperfection. His execution is technical and poetic at the same time, his art depicts the world around him both as a model and a subject of sublimation. Arnaud Kool continues to devote himself to painting in his studio in the heart of Brussels. 

Exhibitions
2024 ‘Prince d’Orange’, ( s o o n ) gallery, Antwerp - solo
2023 Public Intimacy, Galérie Aliénor Prouvost, Brussels - solo
2023 Les Roches Rouges, Thibaut Empain, Brussels - solo
2018 Arnaud Kool : Surface, Macadam Gallery, Brussels - solo
2018 Summer Group Show, Macadam Gallery, Brussels – group show
2017 Focus on Abstraction, Macadam Gallery, Brussels   - group show
2012 La rue des radis, Bodson Gallery, Brussels - solo
2009 Abstractions, Bodson Gallery, Brussels - solo