BIO

Biography

 

Baukje Spaltro is a Dutch Italian artist based in Amsterdam.
Born in Milan and raised in different Dutch cities, she developed an interest in the ‘sense of a place’.

She first studied Painting, Theater Design and AV at the Art Academy Utrecht (1991). She later earned a Master of Painting in Amsterdam (Amsterdam Institute for Painting 1994) and initiated her own Master in Milan (prof. F.Breschi at the Art Academy Brera 1997). In 2002, she concluded a project management course to initiate her own art projects, like City Spheres. In 2017, she followed the ENGAGE Public Art School of Viafarini (Milan, Italy), where she focused on the connection between ‘engaged’ painting and social issues. Her art practice consists of creating autonomous painting series and working on commissions.

After graduation, she painted the soul of her birthplace in Milan (VVDS series 2001-2003 ). Her work is inspired by the Roman genius loci (idea of the spirit of a place) and the trilogy Spheres by philosopher Peter Sloterdijk*, and focuses on the sense of European urban areas.

She has created City Spheres in several European cities and exhibited at DeVishal (Haarlem,), Kunsthal45 (Den Helder,), Museum de Fundatie (Zwolle,), Galerie BMB, Art Chapel and Loods6 (Amsterdam,), Museum Hilversum (Hilversum,), Soma Art Gallery (Berlin, D) Viafarini and Fabbrica del Vapore (Milan, It) and  B-Galleria and Barker Theater (Turku, Fin).

Her work is part of art collections like the Art Collection of Amsterdam (NL), DELA Art Collection (NL), Marti Clerici Collection (CH), Sanquin Art Collection (NL) and TTG Art Collection (I). Her work was also shown at fairs including Kunstrai (NL), Art Verona (I) and Art Fair Karlsruhe (D).

She won the Ritz Honor Art Prize of the International Art Biennial SIART 2005 (Bolivia) and was nominated for the Combat Art Prize 2012 (I), Premio Zambelli 2015 (I) and Beeldend Gesproken Art Prize (NL).

Often, she works on commissions with individuals and companies and developed her co-creation method to work with communities. With this tool, she created the artwork InsideOUT Panorama in 2018, with a community of 200 Frysian (ex) mental patients made for the Leeuwarden Cultural Capital of Europe 2018. In 2023, she was commissioned by the VU Amsterdam University. In 2025, she organized a Drawned dialogue about the co-created city as a rhizome at Vrije University of Amsterdam.

 

Baukje Spaltro works in Amsterdam (NL) and on location.

 

Further information:

 

*Sloterdijk:”The question of where we are is more meaningful than ever and more important than the question of what we are.  We need to focus on the place that people create to be who they are. This place I have given the name Atmosphere. Spheres are space creations they act as an immune system. They include and exclude.”

 

 

BIO

Biography

 

Baukje Spaltro is a Dutch Italian artist
based in Amsterdam.
Born in Milan and raised in different Dutch cities,
she developed an interest in the ‘sense of a place’.

She first studied Painting, Theater Design and AV at
the HKU,  Art Academy Utrecht (1991).
She later earned in Amsterdam a Master of Painting A.I.S.
(Amsterdam Institute for Painting 1994) and initiated her own
Master in Milan (prof. F.Breschi at the Art Academy Brera 1997).
In 2002, she concluded a project management course to
initiate her own art projects, like City Spheres.
In 2017, she followed the ENGAGE Public Art School of
Viafarini (Milan, Italy), where she focused on the
connection between ‘engaged’ painting and social issues.
Her art practice consists of creating autonomous painting
series and working on commissions.

After graduation, she painted the soul of her birthplace
in Milan (VVDS series 2001-2003 ).
Her work is inspired by the Roman genius loci (idea of
the spirit of a place) and the trilogy Spheres by
philosopher Peter Sloterdijk*,
and focuses on the sense of European urban areas.

She has created City Spheres in several European cities and
exhibited at DeVishal (Haarlem), Kunsthal45 (Den Helder),
Museum de Fundatie (Zwolle), Galerie BMB, Art Chapel and
Loods6 (Amsterdam), Museum Hilversum (Hilversum),
Soma Art Gallery (Berlin D) Viafarini and Fabbrica del
Vapore (Milan I) and  B-Galleria and Barker Theater (Turku, Fin).

Her work is part of art collections like the Art Collection of
Amsterdam (NL), DELA Art Collection (NL), Marti Clerici
Collection (CH), Sanquin Art Collection (NL) and TTG Collection (I).
Her work was also shown at fairs including Kunstrai (NL),
Art Verona (I) and Art Fair Karlsruhe (D).

She won the Ritz Honor Art Prize of the International Art Biennial
SIART 2005 (Bolivia) and was nominated for the Combat Art
Prize 2012 (I), Premio Zambelli 2015 (I) and
Beeldend Gesproken Art Prize (NL).

Often, she works on commissions with individuals and
companies and developed her co-creation method to work
with communities. With this tool, she created the
artwork InsideOUT Panorama in 2018, with a community of
200 Frysian (ex) mental patients made for the Leeuwarden
Cultural Capital of Europe 2018.
In 2023, she was commissioned by the VU Amsterdam
University.
In 2025, she organized a Drawned dialogue about the
co-created city as a rhizome, Vrije University of Amsterdam.


Baukje Spaltro works in Amsterdam (NL) and on location.

 

Further information:

 


*Sloterdijk:”The question of where we are is more meaningful than ever and more important than the question of what we are.  We need to focus on the place that people create to be who they are. This place I have given the name Atmosphere. Spheres are space creations they act as an immune system. They include and exclude.”