Klaas Koopmans (1920-2006) was born in Garyp, Fryslân (the Dutch Province of Friesland) and became known for his expressionist paintings of the Frisian landscape.
But perhaps even more so because of the penetrating drawings he made during his admissions to psychiatric institutions.
Klaas Koopmans belongs to the canon of Frisian art. With four befriended painters (Jan Frearks van der Bij, Pier Feddema, Sjoerd Huizinga and Jaap Rusticus) he formed the group 'Yn' e line 'and thus represented expressionism in Friesland.
Koopmans was admitted to psychiatric institutions several times. He then drew his fellow patients and the staff. Hundreds of soulful and poignant drawings of people in tribulation are the result.
It was not until the late 1970s that this work was allowed to be shown to the public for the first time, because of the taboo atmosphere that surrounded it for a long time. Now the drawings are part of museum collections.
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