Chris Nelck (2003, Delft, NL) is a Rotterdam-based visual artist. His practice utilizes painting, text and performance, exploring intimacy, the body and radical openness through a trans and queer perspective. Nelck approaches the personal as political material, making shame, desire and vulnerability explicit as acts of both resistance and connection.
Text plays a central role in his work, often extending the image to create narratives that balance between fiction and autobiography. Nelck's practice is characterized by a direct and embodied visual language in which fragility and strength exist simultaneously.
Nelck graduated cum laude in Fine Art from the Willem de Kooning Academy and completed an exchange at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo). His work has been exhibited at Brutus (Rotterdam), Galerie Ron Mandos (Amsterdam) and Kunstliefde (Utrecht). In 2026, he was selected for Muzen van Morgen, an initiative by AVROTROS supporting emerging artists.
Text plays a central role in his work, often extending the image to create narratives that balance between fiction and autobiography. Nelck's practice is characterized by a direct and embodied visual language in which fragility and strength exist simultaneously.
Nelck graduated cum laude in Fine Art from the Willem de Kooning Academy and completed an exchange at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo). His work has been exhibited at Brutus (Rotterdam), Galerie Ron Mandos (Amsterdam) and Kunstliefde (Utrecht). In 2026, he was selected for Muzen van Morgen, an initiative by AVROTROS supporting emerging artists.
Chris Nelck
chrisnelck@gmail.com
Based in Rotterdam
chrisnelck@gmail.com
Based in Rotterdam
Education:
2020 - 2024 Willem de Kooning Academy, Fine Art (Cum Laude)
2023 Exchange Program, Oslo National Academy of the Arts (Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo), Norway
2018 Preliminary program of the Willem de Kooning Academy
Solo Exhibitions:
2025 Duivennest, Hillevliet, Rotterdam
Group Exhibitions:
2026 Wild Summer of Art, Brutus, Rotterdam
2025 Wasteland Festival x Goblin Feast, Tent Rotterdam
2025 Flambeed Cherries, Kunstliefde, Utrecht
2024 Destillaat #26, Extrapool, Nijmegen
2024 Together for Free, Brutus, Rotterdam
2024 Best of Graduates, Ron Mandos, Amsterdam
Residencies:
2026 Muze van Morgen, Avrotros
2025 De Belofte, Kunstliefde, Utrecht
2025 B-Sides Residency, Hocus Bogus Publishing, Rotterdam
2024 Destillaat #26, Extrapool, Nijmegen
Performances/events:
2026 Gender Revue, Amarte Wonderland, Amsterdam
2025 Goblin Feast: Mould Me, Amart Fonds x Worm Rotterdam
2025 Goblin Feast: At World’s End, Wasteland Festival, Rotterdam
2025 Goblin Feast: Filth Extravaganza, Poortgebouw, Rotterdam (performance)
2025 Book Launch: Eden, Burgertrut, Rotterdam
2025 Goblin Feast: Snack de la Snack, Worm, Art Rotterdam (performance)
2025 Goblin Feast: Devilled Egg Competition, Hillevliet, Rotterdam
2024 Spookstad Duivennest, Extrapool, Nijmegen
2024 Goblin Feast: Rituals, Roodkapje, Rotterdam
2024 Goblin Feast: Animals, Roodkapje, Rotterdam
2023 Goblin Feast: Halloween Edition, Roodkapje, Rotterdam
2023 May I Never Have A Penis, Roodkapje, Rotterdam (performance)
Publications:
2025 Eden
2025 Reading My Panties Issue 02: Queer Pillow Talk (featuring text)
2024 Oester Catalogus
2024 Shame Manifesto
2023 Capital g god Lower Q Queer
Workshops:
2025 Academy of Goblin Brinery, Tent Rotterdam
2023 On Queer Speculative Fiction, Skeiv Ungdom, Norway
2020 - 2024 Willem de Kooning Academy, Fine Art (Cum Laude)
2023 Exchange Program, Oslo National Academy of the Arts (Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo), Norway
2018 Preliminary program of the Willem de Kooning Academy
Solo Exhibitions:
2025 Duivennest, Hillevliet, Rotterdam
Group Exhibitions:
2026 Wild Summer of Art, Brutus, Rotterdam
2025 Wasteland Festival x Goblin Feast, Tent Rotterdam
2025 Flambeed Cherries, Kunstliefde, Utrecht
2024 Destillaat #26, Extrapool, Nijmegen
2024 Together for Free, Brutus, Rotterdam
2024 Best of Graduates, Ron Mandos, Amsterdam
Residencies:
2026 Muze van Morgen, Avrotros
2025 De Belofte, Kunstliefde, Utrecht
2025 B-Sides Residency, Hocus Bogus Publishing, Rotterdam
2024 Destillaat #26, Extrapool, Nijmegen
Performances/events:
2026 Gender Revue, Amarte Wonderland, Amsterdam
2025 Goblin Feast: Mould Me, Amart Fonds x Worm Rotterdam
2025 Goblin Feast: At World’s End, Wasteland Festival, Rotterdam
2025 Goblin Feast: Filth Extravaganza, Poortgebouw, Rotterdam (performance)
2025 Book Launch: Eden, Burgertrut, Rotterdam
2025 Goblin Feast: Snack de la Snack, Worm, Art Rotterdam (performance)
2025 Goblin Feast: Devilled Egg Competition, Hillevliet, Rotterdam
2024 Spookstad Duivennest, Extrapool, Nijmegen
2024 Goblin Feast: Rituals, Roodkapje, Rotterdam
2024 Goblin Feast: Animals, Roodkapje, Rotterdam
2023 Goblin Feast: Halloween Edition, Roodkapje, Rotterdam
2023 May I Never Have A Penis, Roodkapje, Rotterdam (performance)
Publications:
2025 Eden
2025 Reading My Panties Issue 02: Queer Pillow Talk (featuring text)
2024 Oester Catalogus
2024 Shame Manifesto
2023 Capital g god Lower Q Queer
Workshops:
2025 Academy of Goblin Brinery, Tent Rotterdam
2023 On Queer Speculative Fiction, Skeiv Ungdom, Norway