Ian van Wieringen’s life and artistic career connected the Netherlands, Australia and Indonesia. Born in Scheveningen on 15 January 1943, he moved with his family to Indonesia in 1953 and to Australia in 1957.
According to his published biography, he studied and lectured at the University of Sydney between 1961 and 1965. A joint exhibition with John Firth-Smith followed in 1962–63, and in 1964–65 he executed six granite reliefs for the Treasury Building in Canberra. He subsequently exhibited regularly in Sydney and Melbourne.
In 1969, van Wieringen moved to Bali. His home and studio at Sayan, near Ubud, became a gathering place for friends from the island’s artistic community. Although Bali remained central to his life, he continued travelling, painting and exhibiting internationally.
His work included large paintings and murals, as well as expressive depictions of animals. He exhibited in Australia, Europe and the United States.
In an account reproduced on his website, van Wieringen described an interest in the forms and movement of nature. Rather than simply reproducing a subject’s appearance, he sought to convey its essence through line and colour.
Van Wieringen spent his later years at Taro, north of Ubud, and died on 24 July 2022. His career forms part of the cultural connections between Dutch migrants in Australia and the wider Indonesian region.
Sources
Ian van Wieringen — published biography
Scott Roberts, “Ian Van Wieringen 1943–2022”, The Yak, 26 August 2022
