The exhibition Bodies of Longing invites you into the dreamlike, at times alienating, worlds of Thomas van Dun. His paintings bring together sensuality and vulnerability, with the human figure at their core. The body appears not so much as an individual, but as a vessel for emotion, desire, and inner tension. Ranging from intimate, realistic portraits to atmospheric, monumental works, Van Dun explores how the body serves as a space for fundamental human experiences—intimacy, sexuality, and vulnerability.

By largely setting aside recognizable contexts and concrete narratives, the focus shifts to the body itself: a site where desires and feelings converge. The figures seem to exist in a state between presence and alienation, between attraction and detachment.

Bodies of Longing brings together a selection of Van Dun’s paintings, including a new triptych created for November Music—a visual counterpart to his string quartet, 6 Spaces. This work will be on display at Willem Twee throughout the exhibition, with the exception of the day it is incorporated into the live performance of 6 Spaces.

Some of the following works are available for purchase. To get in contact, please email to thomasvandun@gmail.com