Biography of Erika Cool
Erika Cool is a Belgian artist of Dutch origin from Maastricht, where she studied fashion design at the Academy of Fine Arts.
She came third in the fashion design competition at the age of 17.
Colours, aesthetics and the world of art have always fascinated her.
At 19, purely by chance, she began a short career as a photo model, modeling and actress.
She gave up very quickly, as being in front of the camera never really appealed to her.
In 1982, with her partner, she set up a lettering and advertising business, which she continued until 2002.
Over the next twenty years, she was involved in production for brands such as L’Oréal, Moulinsart for the Tintin in Tibet exhibition, Rosmarin and the Marsupilami and Boule & Bill promotions.
Techniques ranged from paintbrushes and airbrushes to projectors and robot cutters, culminating in digital printing.
It was at this time that she befriended with the artist Edmond Jamoulle, the last remaining film artist, who taught her a few rudiments of painting.
From her twenty years in advertising, she drew her inspiration and the techniques she innovated, such as glazing on digital printing, working with images and colours.
In 2002 she launched a real and virtual art gallery with artist friends Michel Lienard and Hugo Tanghe. Both of them pushed her to the limit to launch the project herself.
She created her first series of canvases, entitled "The Warmth of the Orient".
Later, she would paint or draw on sensitive subjects such as the attack on the Bataclan or, by premonition, the covid virus, and also under the effect of anger or mockery. All this often with a connotation of sexual derision.
In 2022, at the request of and in homage to her friend Brigitte Lahaie, she created her first "POP ART" self-portrait of the actress.
Following this experience, she embarked on a complete BL series and prepared a special Brigitte Lahaie exhibition.
She draws her inspiration from Dali, Aslan and Felix Labisse.
It's hard to put her in a specific category... You be the judge.
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