Julian Stips (1990)

solo shows

NEW SOLO! 08 - 23 March 2025

03 Sept - 10 Okt 2021

group shows

18 May - 29 May 2023

01 Sept - 30 Sept 2022

12 Feb - 27 March 2022

A Celebration of Flamboyance and Theatricality: Julian Stips' Second Solo Exhibition at I Love Illustration Gallery

Amsterdam, January 2025 – I Love Illustration Gallery is proud to announce the second solo exhibition by the acclaimed artist Julian Stips. This new body of work is a vibrant ode to drama, theatricality, and the freedom of self-expression, presented in a way that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.The exhibition opens on March 8.

Julian Stips’ work is a visual symphony of color, texture, and imagination, informed by his unique perspective on the world. Reflecting on his creative process for this exhibition, Stips shares:

“While creating new work for this show, I listened to a lot of ballet scores and film soundtracks. 

I like how they set a mood in the studio and accompany me without being too intrusive or distracting. Most of all, they inspire and help to send me on a dramatic tale or journey through different places, times, and states of mind.”

The themes of this exhibition are steeped in Stips’ interpretation of drama, embracing its theatrical, flamboyant, and extravagant aspects. “Watching dramas unfold in the world daily, I take solace in my own interpretation and affinity with the word drama,” Stips explains. “A different kind of drama: theatricality, flamboyance, extravagance, and freedom to express without boundaries.”

Through his drawings and paintings, Stips invites visitors to step out of the literal and into a realm of imagination and self-discovery. His works celebrate individuality and the courage to embrace flamboyance, particularly in the context of challenging societal norms. “Flamboyance and theatricality—in men particularly—are traits often perceived and labeled as queer or gay. 

I personally think they can be found anywhere and in anyone but flourish through an absence of shame and restrictions,” Stips notes.

This exhibition is not only a showcase of Stips’ artistic mastery but also an invitation to the audience to explore their own creative potential. His works serve as portals to a world of boundless expression, encouraging viewers to “shed some more light on their flamboyance and perhaps even help them get rid of some of the shame and restrictions residing in them.”

Julian Stips’ latest exhibition promises to be an immersive journey into a world where imagination reigns supreme, and individuality is celebrated without bounds. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this extraordinary showcase of art and emotion.

Art collectors, take note: all new paintings and drawings will be available for purchase!

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On September 3, 2021, the first solo exhibition of  the talented Amsterdam-based artist Julian Stips will open in the I love Illustration Gallery at De Hallen Amsterdam. This expo will be a vibrant and colourful show of fashion illustrations and paintings, featuring a mix of his vintage favourite designers and looks from this year's menswear and couture shows.

Julian Stips was only 17 years old when he went to ArtEz fashion school. There he had to draw so much that he lost the fun in it. He started traveling, returned and moved to Amsterdam.

Now he draws again especially fashion has its fascination. He combines round shapes with sleek, graphic backgrounds. His work is imaginative and surreal at the same time. He combines manual drawing (with pencil and pen) with digital collage of elements from his own paintings, watercolors and photography.

His new work

“A lot has happened since the last time I exhibited work and that is reflected in my drawings. The lockdown was an opportunity to fully focus on trying out analog techniques and further developing my style and handwriting.

Previously my color work was mainly collage and digital, now almost all the work is drawn and painted manually with ink and acrylic. Still with a lot of attention to detail and print, but the drawings feel more free and dynamic in my opinion".

“In my work there is always some queer identity to be recognized”

It has been very clear to me that there is a lot wrong with the roles that are imposed on men and women. There is a huge gray area in which I like to move and for which the world is slowly making more and more space. Fashion not only reflects this but also leads it."

The exhibition will therefore be a celebration of all the inspiration and grandeur that this difficult time has brought with it.

Read the interview with Julian in the Amsterdam newspaper Het Parool from 27/08/2021l by Fiona Hering.