“Art brings things to light.
It illuminates us.
It brings healing.
It sheds light on our lingering darkness.”

As a queer visual artist, I dive into self-expression and explore themes such as human rights, climate change, and our interconnectedness with nature, all through a queer lens and perspective. My journey as an artist is intertwined with my journey as a queer person, as art became a sanctuary where I found both solace and empowerment. Through my practice, I create a transformative space, both personal and collective, by creating art that lingers in the liminal space of reality and surrealism.

My work spans photography, film, makeup, and (costume) design, which allows me to redefine traditional artistic boundaries and cultivate a layered, immersive experience. 

With a bold approach I aim to craft narratives that challenge societal norms, our search for authenticity, deconstruct patriarchy and the heteronormative gaze while fostering dialogue and understanding while inviting introspection. 

A signature aspect of my art lies in my use of vivid contrasting colors, intricate concepts, and layered metaphors that speak to universal emotions while inviting viewers to connect with their own stories encouraging audiences to explore their perspectives on identity and belonging. My work is a celebration and an invitation: to understand, to empathize, and ultimately, to embrace authenticity in all its forms, foster equality and community, and dismantle stereotypes.

Rik Versteeg was born on April 25, 1990 in Drunen, Noord-Brabant. Growing up in a creative family of photographers, he discovered his passion for photography at a young age. During holidays he used his grandfather’s analog camera and from childhood he was fascinated by the slideshows of his grandparents’ travels. Their stories and images took on a vivid and imaginative meaning for Rik and offered an escape from the world from which he sometimes felt alienated.

In 2007 Rik started studying Audiovisual Production in Den Bosch, where he further developed his knowledge of imaging and the technical aspects of photography and film. After this education he moved to Rotterdam to study at the Willem de Kooning Academy. In Rotterdam Rik experienced the freedom to explore his feelings of alienation from society, and along the way he discovered his queer identity. His art became a means to further explore this queerness, and in 2013 he graduated with a series on conceptual fashion. Shortly after, he founded his own business as an artist.

In 2019, Rik had his first solo exhibition at Qlick Gallery in Amsterdam, where he presented an autonomous series of free work entitled The Masquerade Ball. The exhibition was well received and Rik’s work was exhibited at various art fairs in the Netherlands. In 2020, the solo exhibition Sensitive Obscurities: Exploring the Queer Subconscious followed. Four years later, his photo book Mind Mirage (2024) was published – an ode to the queer community. Since 2025 Rik’s work will be represented by two galleries SeeBuyArt and The Queer Archive Gallery.